Close Quarters
by MistressSpin
Summary: Continuation of events in Follow Me. Kara & Lee settle into their new digs and face the challenge of living with someone in close quarters on a day to day basis. Can these two share a space and not make each other insane in the process? Our saga continues
1. Chapter 1

PART 1

Originally posted on: Date: December 16, 2005

Lee opened the door to the quarters he shared with Kara and groaned. Papers were thrown all about the desk, scattered on the seating area and even strewn across the floor. He stepped gingerly into the living area and carefully picked his way across the floor. Kara was in the midst of starting a new training class and he knew there was probably a method to the madness that was greeting him, but it made him cringe nonetheless. He hated to be anal about neatness, but if she didn't get her stuff together soon, he was going to go insane. When he walked into the bedroom to find papers all over the bed he literally had to count to ten before he could breathe again. He and Kara needed to have a conversation…soon.

Kara grabbed up the latest forms that had been turned in by potential trainees. She had over 100 to go through now and she had to weed through them within a week's time. She needed an office. Right now her quarters served that function and it wasn't ideal. She liked to spread out the applications and make separate piles for those who had potential and those who didn't. Then she broke down the potential recruits into different levels and from there she would build her newest class and any future classes. It was a huge undertaking, one she wasn't sure she was up for. Lee was being a huge help weeding out the good from the bad, which was why she had everything in their quarters for now. She knew it was probably driving him nuts because Lee was nothing if not neat. For herself, she functioned better in chaos relying on her instincts to do the job. She opened the door to her space with Lee and saw him standing in the middle of the living area, a bewildered look on his face. Uh oh. This didn't look good.

She breezed through the door after deciding to take a humorous approach. "You lost?" She sat the latest stack of applications on the table and then cleared a space on the seating area. "Have a seat, Lee." She stepped back and waited.

Lee crossed over to the seating area and sat down. He heaved a big sigh before speaking. "Kara. I know this is the biggest attempt to recruit that we've done since the world ended, but please…our quarters look like a paper bomb went off." He scrubbed his hands over his face. "I hate being an ass about this, but gods, Kara, I'm afraid to walk through here for fear I'll move something important." His stood up and sat right back down…he couldn't even pace around to work off his frustration. He looked back at Kara, who wasn't responding. She just raised her eyebrows at him, waiting for him to continue. "The bed. I can't even see the bed for all the paper on top of it." He closed his eyes before continuing. "Would it be possible to contain this stuff to a single room?" He opened his eyes again and waited for a response.

Kara was irritated, but unfortunately, she could see his point. She didn't have to like it, though. She had a week to get through a mountain of paperwork. What was a week? "Right. Single room coming up" She walked into the bedroom and gathered all the forms from the bed in a haphazard pile and then stalked back into the living space. "Happy?" She tossed the papers by the pile she just came home with. Frak. She really didn't want to argue with him, but she was feeling the pressure to get this finished.

Lee shook his head. "You didn't have to do that." He got up and carefully stepped around the papers still on the floor. "Look, I know you have a system that works for you and spreading out helps the process." He stopped in front of her and pulled her to him. "I've worked on this with you enough this week to get that." He stoked his hand over her hair. "Let me help you. There has to be a way we can keep the process going without wrecking our own space…at least until they assign an office to you." He leaned back to see how she was taking his suggestion.

Kara's face remained impassive while she mulled over Lee's offer. She hated giving up any kind of control but even she hated the mess they were living with right now. What the hell? He could help her go through everything and organize it a little better. It was going to be a long night. Kara grinned and looked up at Lee. Instead of answering, she stepped back and pulled him toward the newly cleaned off bed. If they were going to be up all night, at least they could start things off with some fun.

Lee let Kara lead him to the bedroom. She hadn't given him an answer yet, but he wasn't going to complain. If frakking got him any closer to having a living space he could at least walk through, who was he to question it? He wasn't going to let it distract him from his final goal, though. As she lay on the bed, he started to remove his shirt while she slid down her pants. "So what's the plan, Kara?" When he removed his trousers, Kara sat up and removed her final barriers, still not answering him. "Are you aiming to make me forget the mess in the next room?" He crawled over top of her and gazed at her while she smiled up at him and asked if it was working. When he shook his head no, she shrugged her shoulders muttering something about it being worth a try. He grinned at her and then leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, teasing them open with his tongue. Once he gained access the kiss deepened and the familiar fire flared between them. He knew they would be working the rest of the night on getting things organized.

Kara ran her hands up Lee's back and over his shoulders. She reveled in feeling his skin. His tongue was skimming over her shoulder and she followed suit with hers. She ran her foot down his the solid muscle of his calf and then trailed it back up again. When he shifted his position to settle between her legs she sucked in a breath of anticipation. His first thrust still always took her breath away, even after being together as often as they had been. She gave him a sultry smile as he positioned himself to enter her.

As Kara smiled up at him, Lee leaned down to run his tongue over her bottom lip while he slid into her slick folds. It was the same, yet different every time they came together. He always felt like he was coming home, but each entry, each stroke was something new to experience. It was some kind of magic that he only felt with her. Being free to love her openly only intensified the feelings he had while in her arms. He reached down and cupped her behind as he pulled her closer to him, making him plunge deeper within her walls of softness. He moaned at the gentle gripping sensation that surrounded him as he moved back and forth, in and out. He kissed the side of her face, sliding his lips to her ear telling her he loved her.

As Lee pulled her snug against him, Kara felt herself tighten around his length. He was deep inside her, where she loved him to be. His pace was leisurely and she could feel the exquisite pressure slowly building down low in her belly. Every time they came together she felt it in her soul, as if she kept a piece of him while exchanging a part of herself. Kara marveled that instead of making her less than she was, it made her more complete. She planted her feet on the bed and shifted her hips upward, holding them steady as Lee moved over her. The proverbial heat burned between them and it wasn't going to be long before the fire spread out of control.

Lee groaned when Kara moved her hips into his favorite position. Each thrust brought him into contact with the bundle of nerves right at her center and his body went hot. He raised his head to watch the emotion on her face as he brought them both closer to the edge of reason. When Kara lifted her lips to his, he captured them in a brief flaming kiss before he gasped her name. He lowered himself to his elbows, brushing his chest across the tips of her breasts. They both shuddered at the contact. He felt the flame flicker as it sent heat spiraling through him. He was very close, they both were. His teeth scraped over Kara's shoulder as his lips moved upwards. He nipped at her ear lobe and blew a hot breath against her ear. He moved within her a little faster and she was gone.

When she felt Lee's chest brush across hers it sent shock waves straight to her toes. She felt the sting of his teeth on her shoulder and welcomed it. The pressure was building between them and Kara was ready for the swirl of pleasure to hit. Lee's hot breath in her ear sent her careening close to the precipice and when he thrust faster inside her she toppled over the edge and shattered, moaning his name. She felt him find his release after two more surges inside her while he gasped against her throat.

Lee rolled to his side and pulled Kara against his chest, her face lying over his pounding heart. He caressed her arm as their breathing returned to normal. When coherent thought was an option, he lifted her chin so he could see her. "Are we pulling an all-nighter?" When she giggled and nodded affirmative, he groaned.

Kara was amused at his reaction. "We could always stay in bed, if you'd prefer." She knew that as much as he would want to, the neat freak inside him wouldn't allow it. His grimace confirmed her knowledge. "I didn't think so." She sat up and pulled him up with her. "Let's go, Captain. We've got a lot of work to do." She grabbed a robe from the back of her open locker and slid it over her shoulders.

Lee wished she hadn't decided on the robe. It was his favorite, short and silky, and he would be distracted with her wearing it. He pulled on some sweats and followed her out into the living area where she was making what passed for coffee. As she reached up to the top shelf to get two mugs he caught a glimpse of the rounded flesh of her behind and decided they would have to take a break every couple of hours or he'd go insane. When he looked back up, Kara was grinning at him…that had been her plan all along. He gave her his best CAG glare and asked. "Okay. Where do we start?"

Kara wasn't fooled at all. She laughed and danced around the stacks of papers somehow managing to not move a single sheet. The loosely knotted robe slipped open exposing a line of flesh down her middle. She didn't fix it, just sat down on the hastily cleared cushion and grabbed the stack closest to her. "Why don't you go through these and weed out the non-qualified applicants." She waved the pages at him when he didn't respond because he was gazing at her barely covered breasts. "Lee…hello? You do want this mess cleared, right?" She had an evil grin on her face.

Lee's eyes snapped back to her face. He shook his head. "You are so bad, Kara." He grabbed the papers with a determined look in his eyes. "We will have at least a third of this room cleared within two hours." He sat down beside her and started to review the first application.

Kara smirked and stood up. "Two hours?" She grabbed another bunch of pages that were already disqualified and looked around for a file to stick them in. "Why two hours." She found a file on the floor and bent over to pick it up. She heard Lee's strangled oath and giggled.

Lee willed his body not to respond to her blatant attempt to get out of clearing the mass of papers. "Because in exactly two hours I'm carrying you back to our bed so I can frak you senseless for torturing me." He looked at her, daring her to contradict his statement.

Kara gave him a wide grin. "Is that a promise?" She slid a box over to him to put the qualified applicants in so she could go through them later.

Lee just raised an eyebrow at her. "Do you doubt me?" He picked the box up and sat it beside him. "Get busy…time's a wasting." Then he went back to reviewing the next application to the sound of her giggles.

FIN


	2. Chapter 2

PART 2

December 29, 2005

Lee grabbed the last two boxes from their quarters and started for Kara's office space. The deck crew had converted one of the empty cargo holds on C-Deck into two new offices. Kara was the only person assigned to one for the moment, the other was being held in reserve for whenever it was necessary to use. It wasn't very big, but it did have room for a desk, three chairs and filing cabinets. Right now Kara was working out of boxes and she wasn't pleased. She wanted to spread out and get back into the thick of things with weeding out the new recruits. It was a massive undertaking and a new class had to be set by the end of the week. As it looked right now, they had enough interested candidates for two full classes and that included the applicants already disqualified. Considering only 50,000 or so people remained of their former life, it was amazing to Lee that there were so many willing prospects.

Lee shook his head as he rounded the corner of the entry. When he walked into Kara's office he found her standing on a ladder trying to reach the light fixture. "Hey, what are you doing?" She had a light bulb between her lips and both hands occupied with the fixture. He sat the boxes down quickly and strode over to steady the swaying ladder. "Kara, we have technicians specifically trained in the most effective method of changing light bulbs." He grinned up at her.

She was feeling the pressure of her week's end deadline and there wasn't enough light in the office to illuminate a latrine. Kara rolled her eyes at his attempt at humor then mumbled around the light bulb. "I requested one of those technicians over 2 hours ago." She heaved a sigh of frustration then finally got the low watt bulb out of its socket. "Do you see one standing here?" She screwed the new bulb in and was rewarded with a bright stream of light. Finally, she thought. Now she could tackle the next one hundred things on her 'need it done yesterday' list. "Okay. That's done." She backed down the ladder and into Lee's arms.

Lee had been enjoying the view from below her. He knew she was frustrated with having to move right in the middle of sifting through hundreds of applications, but he'd rest easier now that their living quarters were actually going to be used for just that…living. "Kara, I think you need a break." He took a step back as she made her way down the ladder and pulled her back against his chest when she hit the floor.

Kara leaned her head back on Lee's shoulder and sighed again. "I can't right now." She groaned when Lee's lips moved down the side of her throat. She shuddered and turned in his arms. "Seriously, Lee." As much as she wanted to continue she couldn't, so she stepped away from him. "I've got to get this done." She tossed him a look of regret then picked up one of the boxes he had just brought in, sat it on the desk and started lifting the pages out of it. "Can I get a rain check for later?" She looked over at him as he moved the ladder out of the way. "Please."

Lee was disappointed, but he understood. She did have a huge amount of work to get accomplished in the next few days. "Rain check, it is." He crossed to stand in front of her desk. "Anything I can help with?" At her negative headshake, he added. "Then I'll leave you to it. Gotta meet with the Chief and now's as good a time as any." With that said he leaned across the desk and cupped her face. "Let me know if you need anything." Then he gave her a long, slow kiss full of promise.

Lee's kiss almost made Kara reconsider taking a break. Almost. It was going to be a rough couple of days for her, which meant Lee was in for a rough couple of days, too. As he was exiting the hatch she stopped pulling pages out the box for a moment. "Lee." When he turned to look at her. "I love you." Then she smiled.

Lee grinned back at her. "Back at ya." Then he winked at her and closed the door behind him.

I'm a lucky girl, Kara thought as she started making new piles from the pages she was unloading from the box. Lee loved her and she still wanted to pinch herself sometimes to make sure it was real. This new recruit drive was the biggest challenge she had faced next to random Cylon attacks. The sheer volume of paperwork involved was enough to make her want to throw in the towel. The fact the she had Lee to go home to was the only reason she wasn't screaming in frustration at having to start new recruits from scratch. If their world hadn't ended, there would be other people to do this part of the job. All Kara would have to do is teach. But the world did end and she was now stuck doing all aspects of putting classes together. She sat behind the desk and methodically started making new piles; this one stays, this one goes. Her mind drifted to how she was going to instruct a full class of recruits in flight maneuvers when they had no experience flying.

She paused in her sorting as the realization that she had to teach basic flight to a group of people with no experience and no simulators started creeping along the edges of her mind. She tamped the thought down, but her stomach still knotted up. How the hell was she supposed to accomplish training an entire class of recruits with little to no equipment at her disposal? Kara had finally reached the bottom of the box, so she sat is aside and grabbed the last one. She hated to think that some of the applicants she was sorting through would end up not making it. But without a simulator, there would be at least a few who wouldn't make it back on board after a training session. The knot twisted tighter in her belly. Kara wasn't sure she could live with that, but she really didn't have another option.

She pulled the rest of the completed forms from the box and finished sorting them into stay and go piles. She could feel the tension making her muscles tight and a headache was forming in her temples, probably from clenching her teeth together in frustration and worry. Kara gathered up the pages in the non-qualified pile and filed them in her filing cabinet. Then she pulled the qualified stack in front of her and started breaking it down by levels. She was in for a long day.

Lee crawled back under the Viper that was bolted to the floor in one of the other cargo holds that used to be empty on C-Level. "How's it coming, Chief?" He looked up at the panel Chief Tyrol was configuring. "Is it going to work?" Lee mentally crossed his fingers. There was a lot riding on this. First and foremost was Kara's state of mind.

When the President and his father had decided to recruit new pilots from within the fleet, Lee knew Kara was going to be the primary flight instructor. There were two retired pilots with teaching credentials, but neither knew combat tactics. They would be utilized to review and instruct the disqualified applicants, who showed no aptitude for combat, but could be taught to back up the current pilots of the civilian fleet. Kara didn't know it yet, but Lee was spearheading that little project for the President. That disclosure could wait. Right now, Lee was banking on his plan to help Kara being a success. It should ease some of the pressure he knew she was feeling regarding the new class of recruits and how she was going to train them.

While the Chief finished inputting data to the panel, Lee glanced over at the other two downed Vipers in the room. They were also bolted to the floor and the Chief had already completed entering the information into their computers. "Chief?" Lee prompted again.

Chief Tyrol was almost done. "Just a minute, Captain." His fingers flew over the panel. "We're almost there. Just have two more lines of code to enter." For a big man, he was surprisingly adept at keying information. It was the tight fit of some of the fuel lines that gave him fits. "Done." He scooted out from under the Viper and Lee quickly followed.

They both stood back and gazed at what they hoped would be three brand new simulators. It hadn't taken much for Lee to talk the Commander into letting him try this for Kara. They both knew how much she dreaded trying to teach without letting the new recruits get their feet wet first. Her first class of nuggets at least had flight experience. This time around, none of the applicants had ever been in a cockpit and Lee knew Kara was feeling the strain. If what he and the Chief had come up with worked, Kara would be under a lot less pressure.

In theory, she would be able to train the new nuggets using the downed Vipers to simulate flight before having to take them out into space. The trick was going to be linking the simulations so Kara could be monitoring them as the students were working with them. With the Chief's help, Lee was going to do a test run now. Then, if all went well, he would be surprising Kara later with her new simulators. He really wanted this to work for her sake.

Lee climbed up and settled into the cockpit. He slid a helmet over his head and tested the com unit. "Flight, Apollo. How do you read?" He flicked on the switches to prep the unit for its first simulation while he waited for the Chief to respond.

Tyrol heard Apollo loud and clear. "Apollo, Flight. Coming through clear as a bell." The chief spooled the first simulation and sent it to Lee's bird. "First run test sim, ready for action in 5…4…3…2…1…go." The Chief let out a whoop of cheer. He could see the simulation on the viewing screen as Apollo put the system through its paces. Lords, he was some kind of pilot. Lt. Thrace was set. "Your flying is a beautiful thing, sir." The Chief adjusted the video and audio a final time and couldn't believe they had pulled it off. "Everything's a check on this end. How's the video on your end?"

Lee was grinning ear to ear. "It's great, Chief." He did a series of tricky end over end maneuvers and laughed. "I can't thank you enough for putting this together." He had a visual of the landing bay on his screen and he brought the sim to an end. He pulled off the helmet and hopped out of the Viper. "I can't wait to get Kara in here. She's going to love this." He slapped Tyrol on the shoulder. "You're sure it's a go on the viewing end?" Lee didn't want anything to muck up his surprise.

The Chief scanned the screen one final time. "Captain, it's as close to perfect as it can get." He turned to watch as Lee walked around the three Vipers, checking the final details and making sure they were ready to go. "It's been a pleasure working on this with you." He and the CAG had butted heads on numerous occasions, but Galen Tyrol had a tremendous amount of respect for him as a pilot. As he worked along side Lee, getting this project off the ground, the Chief developed a healthy respect for the man. Every time they had hit a snag, Lee would find a way around it. He had a feeling that nothing short of a catastrophic event would keep Lee from finding a way to make this happen for the woman he loved.

After running the sim, Lee felt confident that Kara would be able to teach her new recruits without putting them in harm's way right from the beginning. Any type of flight had risks, but with the simulators operational, the chance of losing a nugget was drastically reduced. Lee couldn't have put all this together without the help of the Chief. When he had approached him after getting clearance from the Commander, the Chief hadn't hesitated. He'd jumped right in and worked right beside Lee whenever he had free time.

Lee didn't have the words to express his gratitude. "Chief, I'm not sure what to say, except thank you." Lee stuck out his hand and when Galen grasped it, he pumped it vigorously. "You have no idea how much easier life will be by having this simulator." His excitement was barely contained.

The Chief chuckled. "No offense, sir, but I think I have a pretty good idea." He'd worked with and around Starbuck enough to know that when she wasn't happy no one else was happy either. "When are you going to spring this on the Lieutenant?" Tyrol wished he could see her reaction, but he didn't want to intrude on Lee's moment.

Lee's face split with a wide grin. "I'm hoping to show this to her tonight." He had to pick up their dinner first and then he was going to bring her to the newly designated Sim Room. "I think I'll bribe her away from her office with food." Lee checked the time. He had paperwork to catch up on before he could do anything.

The Chief took that as his cue to leave. "Call me if you need anything, sir." He shook Lee's hand again and exited the room. He was proud of their accomplishment and by this time tomorrow, everyone else would be aware that they had new simulators. He knew Starbuck was going to flip over them.

Lee did one last walkthrough and then he left the room, locking the door behind him. Including the President, there were only four people who knew about his surprise for Kara and he planned on keeping it that way. Tomorrow everyone would know, but for tonight, he wanted to make sure Kara was well and truly shocked. He walked down to his office and got busy on his paperwork.

A few hours and mounds of paperwork later, Lee carried a tray with two dinner entrée's to Kara's office and rapped on her door. He schooled his features so his excitement didn't show overmuch.

Kara was sitting on the floor of her office surrounded by stacks of paper when she heard the knocking. Frak. She was almost finished and didn't want to be disturbed. "Enter at your own risk!" If it was another potential nugget wondering when the first class was going to start, Kara was going to shoot first and ask questions later. She waited to see if she needed to draw her sidearm.

As the door was pushed open, she decided it wasn't a nugget, if the smell of food was any indication. A tray was the first thing she saw, followed by Lee's head peering around the corner of the door. She smiled at his caution.

Lee edged around the door, leading with the tray. "Don't shoot." He stepped through the hatch and stopped short. "I come bearing food and drink." He looked at the mass of papers surrounding Kara. "Frak Kara, how do you stand it?" He stepped back and leaned against the wall. He wasn't chancing going any further into her office for fear he would knock one of her stacks over.

Kara just shrugged. "My office, my mess." She stood carefully and stepped over the circle of papers surrounding her. "You said something about food?" As if on cue, her stomach growled. "I skipped lunch. Did you bring anything edible or is it the usual slop?" The plates were covered with domed lids, so she couldn't see what Lee had brought with him.

Lee pulled the tray out of her reach. "I don't know what the main portion is, but I do know we've got fresh fruit." He watched her eyes light up. "A shipment came in today from a recent harvest off the Agra ship." That caught her interest. "Can you spare some time? I have something else to show you." He hoped she wasn't going to insist they eat here. Lords knew the space was limited.

Kara looked around the office. She still had a lot of work to do, but she was getting tired. She'd been in the office all day and with the exception of him helping her move boxes, she hadn't seen Lee at all. "I can stop for now." She covered the short distance to the door. "Lead the way." She opened the door and waited for Lee to exit before closing and locking it behind her.

Lee led them around the corner and stopped in front of the door to the new Sim Room. He balanced the tray of food against the wall while he dug the key from his pocket. As he unlocked the door, he ignored the questioning look on Kara's face. He pushed the door open then turned to her. "After you." He put the keys on the tray and followed her through the door.

Kara's hand was searching for the light switch. "Why are we eating in an empty cargo hold?" Since Lee was behind her, she couldn't see very well, but her hand found the switch and she flicked it on. The sight that greeted her took her breath away. The back ends of three Vipers were laid out in front of her and if she wasn't mistaken a large viewing screen was off to the side. "Oh my gods." She turned to Lee who was setting their dinner tray on a table pushed up against the wall. "Is this what I think it is?" Not waiting for his answer, she slowly walked forward and looked in the first Viper simulator. "It is. Oh Lee, I can't believe you did this for me." She had no doubt it had been his idea as she ran her hands over the metal of the plane feeling like a giant weight had just been lifted off her shoulders.

She laughed. Only Lee could pull this off. Three simulators. Not one, but three for her to use to teach basic flight and combat tactics. She glanced over at the person she loved most in the universe. "How? How did you do this without me finding out about it?" She really didn't care. She wanted to dance around the room she was so happy.

Lee leaned back against the wall, basking in her glee. "You'll have to give credit to the Chief. Besides my dad and the President, he's the only other person on board this ship that knew what was going on in here." He watched her turn around in a full circle then she launched herself at him. He caught her in his arms and laughed. "I take it I did good?" He hugged her close to him.

Kara tilted her head back and gazed up at him. "You did very, very good." She leaned forward and kissed him. She had meant it to be a quick one but as usual the heat between them erupted and the kiss ended up lasting much longer than intended. She pulled back when her stomach growled again. When Lee chuckled and pushed her toward the table, she asked, "Have I told you how much I truly love you, lately?" Her hands grabbed the domed lids and she sat them on the table behind the tray. The actual dinner didn't look appetizing, but the fruit did. Pineapple, bananas, and mangoes, she didn't know which one to pick first. She opted for a banana.

Lee stepped up behind Kara and put his arms around her. "Not today." He leaned over her shoulder and grabbed the first bite of her freshly peeled banana.

Kara jabbed her elbow in Lee's ribs. "Hey, get your own." She laughed and grabbed up another banana then spun out of his arms. She moved over to the simulator again and leaned against it.

Lee selected a pre-peeled mango and bit into it. He nodded at the Viper sim behind Kara. "Wanna give it a go?" He didn't wait for her answer, just walked over and flipped the switches to start the programs.

Kara quickly finished off the first banana and tossed the second one on the seat as she climbed in the Viper. She turned the simulator on and pulled a helmet over her head. Lee fed the first simulation to her and she was laughing and happy and still couldn't believe Lee had put this together for her. She ran through the program and just sighed when it ended. It had been the most fun she'd had in such a long time.

She tugged the helmet off and motioned Lee over to her. "We need to run the sims together. Now." She smiled at him and gave him a quick kiss on his lips. "Please." She added that for good measure.

Lee had been hoping she would want to run the programs. He gave her a wink and crossed over to the control panel. He spooled up all the available programs and set them to run one right after the other. He then hurried to the middle Viper, climbed in and pulled his helmet on. He looked over at Kara who gave him a quick thumbs up just as the first scene flashed on the screen in front of them.

They spent the next couple of hours putting the simulators through the paces. They laughed, insulted, and complimented each other. Flying for the sheer joy of flying. It was almost as great as their passion for each other was. When the final scene ended and the room went dark, Kara jumped out of the first Viper and made her way to the control panel. She shut the equipment down and hit the lights then she made her way to the second bird that Lee occupied.

She stepped up on the stairs and cupped her hands around Lee's face. "You are the absolute best person I know." She pulled him to her and ran her tongue over his bottom lip before kissing him fully. "I'm going to thank you for making my whole day." With that she climbed up on the Viper and sat opposite Lee on top of what was left of the nose portion. "Ever get naked in a Viper before, Captain?" Kara shrugged out of her shirt and then started on her pants.

Lee still had adrenaline pumping through him from the flight sims. Watching as Kara peeled off her clothes ignited his blood. "I'm going to exercise my Article rights and not answer that." He pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. "I've never been naked in a Viper with you and that's all I can wrap my brain around right now." He worked his pants down and grumbled when he had to stop and remove his shoes.

Kara giggled at both Lee's answer and his dilemma. She had already removed her shoes before climbing up on the Viper. She slid her pants off and dropped them over the side of the ship. Lee had finally removed his shoes and was finishing getting out of his pants. She stood up and very carefully turned around. Then she put her hands on the nose of the bird as Lee tossed his pants over the side. She angled her head and looked back at him. "Come get your reward, Lee." She grinned when he stepped up behind her and growled in her ear. Then she shuddered as his hands sought her breasts and his lips found her throat.

Lee loved having Kara this way. He had access to all parts of her as he entered her with a single thrust. He set a steady pace while his hands slid down her stomach to grasp her hips. Kara moaned in response. She liked him to hold her there while driving into her from behind. She also liked him to whisper in her ear, urging her to let go and just feel the heat between them. He leaned forward and with a raspy voice did just that.

Kara groaned again. Lee's voice in her ear always made her hot. It didn't matter if it was over the ships comms or while they were making love. It never failed to send fissures of desire down her spine when she heard him speak that closely to her. Right now he was telling her how much he loved sliding into her and how she felt when she clenched around his shaft. She shivered against him. She was beginning to think he could make her orgasm just from describing what he'd like to do with her. She didn't want to put it to the test. She'd much rather have him this way, his hands on her hips while he thrust into her as he drove her close to the edge of reason.

Lee could feel the pressure for release building. He let go of Kara's hips and moved one hand down between her legs while the other gently cupped her breast. He scorched a trail of kisses over her shoulder and when his teeth grazed the back of her neck his fingers slid over the nub at her center. Kara bucked back against him and shuddered with her orgasm. His hands grabbed her hips again and on the next stroke he followed her over the cliff's edge and his mind and body exploded in pleasure. He had the presence of mind to sit back on the seat and pulled Kara back with him. She slumped against him as they both tried to get air into their lungs.

As Kara dragged in a deep breath, she wondered why they hadn't gotten together in a Viper sooner. Good gods, there was something about being with Lee in the center of a bird that made her feel especially close to him. They were both pilots for frak's sake. She should have thought of it sooner. Who cared if the Viper wasn't fit for flight? For her it was all about the cockpit. They were definitely going to being doing this again. If she had anything to say about it, it would be soon.

Lee could finally see straight again. He angled Kara around on his lap so she wasn't facing him but he could see her profile. He smiled at her. "Damn. Neither of us lasted long this time." He kissed her hair while he held her close to him. "Why haven't we tried this in a Viper before?" He felt her giggle before he heard it.

As she had just been thinking the same thing she commented. "We really have to stop doing that." She angled her head to look him in the eyes. "It weird when you say what I think." She gave him a wicked smile and eased off his lap. "We're definitely going to get together in here again." Easing over the side of the Viper, she grabbed up Lee's clothes and handed them to him. Then she picked up her own.

As Lee got dressed he pointed out the obvious. "There are two other birds we should probably break in." He threw his shoes over the side and hopped out himself.

Kara laughed as she pulled her shirt on. "It seems great minds think alike." She grabbed up her shoes and walked over to the simulator she had used and picked up the left behind fruit. "Meet me back in quarters?" At his questioning look she added. "I'm going to file the rest of the disqualified candidates, then I'll be home." She moved back to him, put her arms around his waist and hugged him to her. "Thank you for my wonderful surprise." She tilted her head up and kissed him.

Lee caught her lips in a second quick kiss. "You're very welcome." He was glad everything had worked out and he'd been able to pull off getting the simulators put together. "Don't work too long, Kara." He walked over to the table as she headed for the door. "I'll be keeping the bed warm for you." She acknowledged his words with a nod of her head then she winked at him as she slipped through the hatch.

Lee scooped up the tray from the table and exited the Sim Room. He locked the door behind him and headed in the direction of their quarters. Tomorrow he'd have to let Kara know that he would be heading up the training schedules for the civilian pilots. That meant he'd be away from the ship for extended periods and he wasn't sure how she was going to react. He knew he wouldn't be happy if she had to be away for long spans of time. He shrugged as he neared their home. They would work it out. They always did. He just hoped no flying objects would be involved.

As he entered their quarters and set the tray down, he smiled. Even if there were flying objects, they would last. They were in this for the long haul. It's what kept him going. Lee put the fruit in the small, refrigerated unit they'd had put in along their wall of shelves. Then he made his way to the bed and collapsed on it. Pulling the simulator project together had taken up a good amount of his waking hours and he was pleasantly exhausted. He fell asleep where he landed.

When Kara entered their quarters an hour later she grinned down at a sleeping Lee. He wasn't even under the covers. She grabbed a light blanket from the living area and covered him with it. Then she crawled up beside him on the bed and tucked the blanket around them. She fell asleep with her head on his chest and a smile on her face.

FIN


	3. Chapter 3

Summary:

Lee surprised Kara with flight simulators made by using downed Vipers. She needed them to teach basic flight to the first class of nuggets pulled from the many interested candidates. The disqualified applicants were going to be trained to back up the fleet's civilian pilots and Lee had been volunteered, by the President, to head up the logistics of getting that project off the ground. He hadn't mentioned it to Kara yet. She was under a lot of stress to get the first class off the ground and underway and looking to him for support. Since he'll have to be off board frequently and sometimes for days at a time, Lee has been putting off telling Kara about this detail.

Originally posted: January 5, 2006

PART 3

The Commander and the President had both been requesting a dinner invitation from their favorite couple and Lee and Kara finally decided to kill two birds with one stone and have them both over for dinner at the same time. They set the date for two weeks after Lee surprised Kara with the new simulators. They were preparing for the evening with Lee laying out the dinner that had been delivered by the galley staff and Kara dressing after a hasty shower after coming off shift.

Lee debated whether or not to mention his upcoming responsibilities. He waffled with the decision going back and forth trying to figure out if he could catch their guests privately before either of them said anything to Kara. He probably shouldn't take the chance, it would be his luck that both the Commander and the President would end up wanting to discuss the details over dinner. He'd better give her a heads up.

He walked into the bedroom almost getting distracted by the smooth expanse of Kara's back as she threw on her clothes. He tamped down his response and opened his mouth to speak when she looked up at him.

Kara was still damp from her shower and struggling to get into her clothes before their guests arrived. She was scrambling into her shirts when she heard Lee walk in. She glanced in his direction and of course he was perfectly dressed. "Why did we think this was a good idea, again?" She hopped into her pants and tucked her shirt into them. "Not the dinner part, but the time we picked?" Socks. She needed her socks.

Lee lifted the edge of the coverlet on the bed and pointed to Kara's socks. As she grabbed them, he tried to begin an explanation. "Oh, that." He sat on the edge of their bed while she slipped her shoes on. "I'm glad you brought it up. I need to talk to you about something." The timing had everything to do with his new project. Quite literally, this evening would be the only free evening either of them had for a while.

Kara moved to stand in front of the mirror of her open locker. "Something to do with why we picked this time?" She looked at Lee's reflection while she worked on brushing her hair out.

Lee sighed softly. "Yes." He held Kara's gaze in the mirror. "I've been putting this off—" A light knocking sounded and Kara put her brush down and turned to answer it. Well frak, thought Lee. I've blown my chance to tell her myself.

He heard Kara greeting the Commander and as he walked into the living area, he spied the President right behind him. "Madam President, it's nice to see you." He moved to stand beside Kara and put his arm around her. "Thank you for coming." He and Kara both stepped to the side to allow their guests to enter the room fully.

Laura smiled at both. "And it only took a month's worth of hints to get an invitation." She stepped into the living area and walked to the table. It was covered with a linen cloth, candles, and a vase with a single flower sat in the center. "Oh…this is lovely." She turned to Kara. "You shouldn't have gone to all this trouble."

Kara snorted. "Don't look at me, Madam President." She glanced at Adama and winked. "This is all Lee's doing. I just got off shift." She grinned as Lee's face turned pink.

Adama came to Lee's rescue. "Lee's mother taught the boys well." He moved to pull out a seat for Laura. "She was a stickler for details." As he seated Laura he added. "She wanted well-rounded sons." With that he seated himself, leaving Kara and Lee to serve the meal.

Lee stepped up behind Kara as she lifted off the domed lids covering their main course. He leaned forward to growl playfully, "I'm so going to make you pay for that later." He nipped at her ear eliciting a squeak of laughter from her. It may be the only time he'd be able to get near her tonight.

Kara glanced quickly at Adama and Roslin who were talking quietly with each other. Then she leaned back to whisper in Lee's ear. "Promises, promises." She flicked her tongue against his ear then carried the main course to the table speaking softly to their guests.

Lee paused until the pull of desire left him before gathering the rest of their meal and carrying it to the table. Kara had already seated herself and was pouring wine into everyone's glasses. Lee picked up a dish and passed it to his father. His fear that either his father or Laura would mention his upcoming project seemed to be unfounded as their conversation revolved primarily around the changes in the fraternization rules.

Two more couples had moved into the newly completed couple's quarters across the corridor from them. One of them was planning a wedding on Cloud Nine in a month's time. Lee glanced at Kara when the President mentioned the wedding. They hadn't discussed marriage, not in actually terms of a wedding or anything similar. For them, it was enough that they were together.

Adama glanced at Laura and nodded his head almost imperceptibly. He picked up his glass and took a swallow of wine. Kara had just set her glass back on the table when Laura posed a question. "Have the two of you considered making your arrangement official?" She crooked a smile as she said it.

Kara has just swallowed some of her wine, so she choked before she sputtered. "Excuse me?" She couldn't have heard that correctly. Did the President really just ask if she and Lee were planning on getting married? She looked quickly at Lee who was sitting with his fork paused halfway to his mouth. She watched as he flicked his gaze to her before setting his fork down to answer the question.

Lee was so caught off guard by the President's question that the first time he opened his mouth nothing came out. He cleared his throat then tried again. "Um. Is there a reason you're asking?" Hell, did it matter if they got married or not? He glanced at his father who was sitting calmly with his arms folded over his chest. Hmmm. The old man looked too settled. Surely Laura's question had surprised him as well.

Adama rested his gaze squarely on Lee before changing it over to Kara. "I'd like to know the answer to that one." He then added. "Not that there's a rush or anything." He hid a grin behind his glass again while he waited for one of them to say something.

Lee and Kara just stared at each other. Why hadn't they thought of this when they invited them to dinner? They both should have known the topic would come up. The least they could have done was have an answer ready. But they hadn't thought of it and now they were sitting at the table with two crafty individuals who could manipulate with the best of them.

Kara tilted her head sideways a little and gave Lee an 'I'll take a stab at it' look. "I've been a little busy with the new class of recruits." She picked up one of the food dishes and held it up, offering seconds for anyone. "And Lee's been busy making flight simulators out of nothing." She glanced at Laura. "Did you know he working on that?"

Laura nodded her head. "I did." She waved off anything additional. "Was he able to surprise you?" She smiled over at Lee.

Kara sat the dish down. "He did. I can't believe he pulled that off." She got up and started to clear the table. "The new class of recruits had their first run in it yesterday." As she carried the dishes over to the cart, she felt like she had done a good job of changing the subject. She was wrong.

Adama and Roslin exchanged another glance while Lee stood to help Kara clear the table. Adama started a new tract. "You'll be done with basic flight for this class of nuggets in about six weeks, won't you Kara?" He pushed his seat back away from the table and turned sideways getting more comfortable.

Kara nodded. "Yep. Then we'll start combat tactics and things will slow down a little." She walked back and sat at the table again.

Lee knew where his dad was going with the question. He gave Kara a hard look before he sat down and she responded with a startled look of her own. She shrugged her shoulders indicating that she gave it her best shot. Lee took over the task of getting their guests off topic. "Kara will start the next full class as soon as the nuggets are combat ready." He grinned over at her. "Knowing her…that won't be long." She beamed back at him in response.

Roslin decided to nudge the conversation back to where she wanted it. "So, you don't have plans for when things slow down?" She had to bite back a grin when Lee sighed in resignation.

Okay, changing the subject wasn't working. Lee knew of only one topic that would get rid of their well-meaning guests. He took a deep breath before plunging onward. "I may not have that much down time." He glanced at both his father and the President before continuing. "That will all depend on how the launch of the civilian pilot training project goes." He didn't want to, but he risked a look at Kara. She was sitting across him with a confused look on her face.

Kara was wondering how the civilian pilot project affected them. "Why would that cut into—" She broke off as realization dawned. "You're heading it up, aren't you?" She slumped back in her chair and shot Lee a look letting him know she wasn't happy.

Lee groaned inwardly. He gave a sheepish shrug. "At least until it's off the ground." She was going to kill him for mentioning it in the presence of the two people responsible for him being the project leader. She couldn't ream him in front of them. Catching the look in her eye, Lee wondered if he was wrong about that.

Kara knew that something had been up with Lee ever since the flight simulators. She had chalked it up to being so busy with that and his CAG duties. Now she knew differently. "And you were planning to tell me this, when?" She really wasn't really angry that he was heading up the project. She just didn't like the thought of how busy he was going to be or that he hadn't told her. "Three days AFTER the project got underway, maybe?" She didn't miss the Commander's cringe as she made her comments.

Adama knew Lee and Kara were dodging their questions, but hadn't expected Lee to spring his added duties on Kara during their dinner. It was a good thing he hadn't mentioned it to her previously, he'd thought Lee had already broken the news.

He tossed a glance at Lee before speaking. "We'll take this as our cue to leave." He stood and walked to Laura's chair, pulling it back for her. To Lee, he stated. "Try not to end up in sickbay before the night is gone." He grasped Roslin's elbow and steered her toward the door, while Lee and Kara both stood to follow.

Laura was feeling a little bad for putting their hosts on the spot. "I trust you won't be too upset with Captain Apollo, Lieutenant." She used their ranks to bring it home that Lee's assistance was for the good of the fleet. "I need someone I can trust to spearhead this task and I trust the Captain implicitly." There. Hopefully she had helped sooth the jagged edges of the argument she was certain was brewing between them. She stepped through the hatch before turning back. "The evening was lovely. Thank you." She waited while the Commander put each of his hands on both of their hosts' shoulders, squeezing lightly before he stepped through the hatch. As they started down the corridor, Lee and Kara both waved good-bye before clicking the door closed.

Laura spoke quietly. "That didn't quite go as planned." She darted a quick look at Adama to see how he was reacting.

Bill sighed. "No. It didn't" Maybe the two of them should just mind their own business. "We shouldn't pry." He wanted his son and his surrogate daughter to be happy, which they already were. A ghost of a grin crossed his face. He might have to change that view depending on Lee's skill at extricating himself from the hole he dug during dinner. "You know Lee brought up the civilian pilots so we'd shut up. We didn't fool them at all." They had reached the shuttle for Laura's flight back to Colonial One.

Laura just smiled. "No we didn't." She grasped his arm before stepping on to the shuttle. "You can't say we didn't try, though." She inclined her head. "Commander, good night." She stepped back into the shuttle and gave a small wave as the door slowly closed.

Adama turned to head back to his quarters. They may not have fooled his two favorite people, but they had a reason for wanting to get them married. Another pool had been started and Lee and Kara were at the top of the list not to mention the most bet on couple. It was split down the middle of when they would get married versus when one of them would end up in a body bag. Given the extreme turn they took regarding the other bet, Adama wasn't just a little concerned about what the two of them would come up with if they found out about this one. He was very wary of what they would do. Laura had gotten wind of it on Colonial One and she approached him about the two of them maybe trying to head the potential repercussions off at the pass.

They both started dropping hints about receiving a dinner invitation from the couple. They had laid plans for either dining together or separately. Unfortunately, as he was well aware, plans rarely went off without a hitch. Tonight was no exception. Adama shook his head. Lee was in for a blistering set-down from Kara. She was either going to be mad that he'll have to be gone frequently or that he didn't tell her sooner. His guess was it would be the latter. Although he understood why Lee put off saying anything, Kara was under a lot of stress getting the recruits together and a class started, he knew her well enough to know that keeping things from her was usually not the best course of action.

As he entered his quarters, he grinned. He also knew his son. He had a feeling Lee would have Kara settled and singing his praises in short order. He might get a little battered and bruised, but he'd win her over. He pulled out the journal he kept and opened it. After smoothing the page, he set pen to paper and began writing. 'Dinner tonight was an interesting affair…'

FIN


	4. Chapter 4

Summary:

During a deceptive dinner where the Commander and President started dropping hints about marriage, Lee spills the beans about his additional responsibilities getting the civilian pilot program off the ground. Kara is none too thrilled that he didn't tell her sooner. Their guests make a hasty departure to let the two of them discuss the issue. On their way back to Laura's shuttle they discuss why they brought up the subject of marriage. Apparently there's yet another pool going on who will end up married now that the regs have been relaxed. Lee and Kara top the list; they also top the list of which one of them will end up in a body bag. Adama and Roslin decided to try and head off trouble before it started. Given the reaction their favorite couple had to the previous bet, they felt a need to at least try to nudge them in the direction of matrimony. They didn't expect Lee to drop the news of his new duties during their dinner…they thought he had already mentioned it. We pick up with Lee and Kara just as the door closes on their guests.

Originally posted: January 16, 2006

PART 4

Kara waited until the door closed fully before turning the full force of her glare on Lee. She spun around, stalked to the table and began to methodically clear the dishes. She wasn't upset that Lee was needed to help get the project started. She was pissed that he didn't tell her. She knew it was because she had been stretched to her limit with the recruitment program. She'd been under a huge strain but she didn't need his frakkin protection. She seethed with anger as she carried the stack of dirty dishes to the serving tray and slammed them down rattling the dishes already sitting on.

Lee knew he was in for it. The slam of the dishes indicated the degree of hell he was going to have to go through before he could get back in her good graces again. He mentally sighed with relief…at least she wasn't lobbing things at his head. All he had to do now was figure out his approach to setting things right. He was getting good at the whole out-of-the-box thinking thing. Living with Kara had taught him a thing or two.

His mission objective was working up a good head of anger. She'd had time to process just how long Lee had held off telling her about his extra job; at least a month by her calculations. A month. Dammit, it made her mad. She was a big girl. She could take sharing him with others. The fact that he hadn't told her didn't speak well of his opinion of her. She went to grab the silverware off the table only to find that Lee had already gathered it and was on his way to the serving cart. She shot him a venom-filled look before snatching up the tablecloth, roughly folding it and stowing it under their built-in seats.

First she couldn't handle pertinent information and then she couldn't manage to clear the table by herself. She tamped down the notion that he might be trying to appease his mistake. Frak that. She had a right to be angry and by the gods she would be angry.

Lee had picked up the eating utensils more to give himself time to strategize than because he felt Kara wasn't capable. He could do one of two things; let her stew in a black mood, or jolt her out of it by staying in her path. He had to start meeting with the current roster of civilian captains the next day. He wasn't letting her wallow in her current mindset. That decision made, Lee's next course of action was to stay in Kara's line of sight, but make her speak first. If he even opened his mouth right now she would go cold and steely on him. It would irritate her to no end when he wouldn't leave her alone. He gave her two hours tops before she would finally relent and just deal with the issue. To that end, as Kara moved the chairs back to their locations Lee took the cart and more or less followed her all the way to the door.

Kara was beginning to feel like she couldn't turn around without having Lee in her path. Why didn't he just go catch up on paperwork or something? She watched as he opened the hatch and pushed the cart outside. Maybe he would take it all the way to the galley himself. She wanted 10 frakkin minutes to herself so she could say every nasty thing she was thinking out loud without him being the wiser. He didn't return immediately and Kara thought her wish was granted. She headed over to close the door and was just grabbing the side to swing it shut when she bumped right into Lee coming back through. FRAK!

Lee steadied her by grabbing her shoulder, but she shrugged it off and spun around. After nudging the door closed with his foot he was right on her heels. She was fluffing the blanket on their seating unit so he sat down making her reach behind to put it back in its place. When she crossed over to the wall of shelves to straighten the already neatly placed items, Lee discovered he needed a book on logistics for his meeting the next day. He stepped up behind her, reaching up to the top shelf to pull the book down. The movement brought their bodies into contact and she froze for a moment before ducking out and grabbing her recruit files.

When Kara crossed over to the desk to finish up her own paperwork, she looked up to see Lee heading her way again. She inhaled a deep breath. He was pushing his luck. She pulled out her pen and started writing in one of the files. She blithely ignored him when he stepped up behind her and reached around her for a pen of his own. Kara relaxed when he sat down with his rosters at the table. She shouldn't have. As she finished one of her files and opened another she glanced up to see him sitting back in his chair just staring at her. He was making her insane. She didn't want to talk about his asinine reasons for keeping her in the dark. She really didn't.

As Lee sat gazing at Kara he knew she was getting irritated. When she smirked at him before starting on her next file, he bit back a laugh. She wasn't quite ready to talk yet, but she was getting there. He propped his arms on the table, completely ignored his flight rosters and just watched her work. She tapped her pen on the pages then picked it up to write some notes. Lee grinned quickly when she crossed off what she had written and tried again. Yep. She was almost ready.

Kara could still feel Lee's eyes on her. Didn't he have flight schedules to do? Frak. She had just written the same note twice in one of the nuggets fitness reports. She crossed out the duplicate notation and heaved a frustrated sigh. She glanced over at Lee who just raised an eyebrow at her show of pique. Oh, she was going to kill him if he didn't stop doing that. She glanced back down at the report but the words looked like a jumbled mess. Dammit. The idiot sitting at the table across the room had blown her concentration. She cast a quick look over at him and stopped short. He was frowning at her. What the hell was his problem?

She looked back down, slapped the folder shut and took another glance at Lee. Still frowning with his eyes narrowed, now. Oh, all right, she'd talk to him. "Got a problem?" She sat back in her chair glaring over at him.

Lee forced himself not to smile. Keeping his features impassive he shot back. "Uh, no. But you do." He enjoyed this part. Her next move would be a denial.

Kara shook her head back and forth. "Nuh uh." She stood up from the desk and walked across the floor to the table, stopping at its edge. "You're the one with the problem and it's standing right in front of you." She stepped back and folded her arms across her chest indicating that she still wasn't in a forgiving mood.

Lee sat back and using his foot, pushed the chair across from him out towards Kara. He nodded at it, indicating she could sit down if she wanted. His next moved hinged on her response. When she reluctantly sat down, he threw a mental thank you to the gods. She was sitting with her arms still crossed and her face was impassive. Lords she was beautiful even with her eyes flinging daggers at him.

Staying relaxed he looked directly at her. He knew she had already figured out why he hadn't mentioned the civilian pilot program, but if he wanted her to listen to him he'd have to get her to state what was really bothering her. "Okay, ask me why." She tilted her chin, defiantly remaining silent, so Lee just shrugged and sat back to wait. He didn't take his eyes off of her and she didn't look away. Usually he would let these stalemates draw out, as he had more patience than she did most of the time. Tonight wasn't one of the nights he could afford to do that. He began, "Look, Kara—" but broke off when she slammed her hand on the table.

"Damn it, Lee." She shook off the sting of her hand connecting with the table. "Do I look like I'm five?" Not content to sit and ream him out, she stood and paced back and forth. "A month. You had an entire month to tell me about your assignment." She stopped to glare at him. "Yet you didn't." Her arms flung out to her sides. "No…you wait until, what, a couple of days before you'll be hopping all over the damn fleet coordinating schedules, lining up the flight plans and whatever else they need you for." She turned her back to him and dragged in a deep breath before continuing. "Do you think I rely on you so much that I'm incapable of sharing?" She then added in a quiet voice. "Or do you just think so little of me you're worried I'll fall apart at the least bit of additional stress?" Her shoulders slumped forward and she stopped as she hit on the real truth of why she was so damn upset.

Lee was stunned. He stood slowly wondering where the hell she got a frakked up idea like that. "You know better than that." He closed the distance between them, wrapping his arms around her even as she stiffened under his touch. "Where is this coming from?" Gods, maybe they had a bigger problem than his busy schedule if she felt he didn't have confidence in her.

Kara continued to be silent, but it wasn't an angry silence. She was still working out her own feelings so she shrugged against him. She couldn't explain it until she figured it out for herself.

Lee scrambled to explain why he'd waited so long. "Kara, I tried to tell you before dinner—" He stopped again when she her angled back and her gaze narrowed. "Okay, I should have said something sooner." He began to inch toward her. "And the Lords know I don't think you're five." Turning her toward him he cupped her face with his hands. "I love you." He looked right into her as he said it. His hands slid down to her shoulders and he drew her with him to their seating area.

Sitting down, he continued. "I didn't say anything at first because I was so busy with the Chief getting the simulators put together." Plus she was right in the middle of all that paperwork for the new classes and the move to her new office. "After that…" He paused for a moment, picked up her hand and laced their finger together. "After that, I sort of just let it slide." When she started to pull her hand away, he held on tightly not letting her escape. "It wasn't about you not being able to handle it, Kara." He waited until she looked at him again. "Truth is…I kept putting it off cause I don't want to be away from you." Surprisingly, it was true. He just hadn't realized it until now. "As long as you didn't know, I could act like I didn't have to leave you." His chagrin must have shown because Kara smiled her first real smile since their guests had left them alone. He grinned sheepishly. "Gods, I'm an idiot." That statement was rewarded with laughter. He let himself join in a moment before sobering. "It was never about you falling apart Kara. Never." He gathered her close to him and settled them back on the cushions, content with just having her next to him.

Kara had pondered his words as he spoke. Looked like they both still had some issues to deal with. That could wait. For now, she just wanted to be happy with him before things got insane. Opting for humor, she shifted so she was on his lap facing him. She gazed at him a moment and couldn't quite hold back a smile. Touching her head to his, she stated. "I've always said men can be painfully stupid sometimes." Her lips captured his to take the sting out of the words. "Seriously…it's good to know you don't think I'll break." She then added. "I'm a big girl, Lee. The only thing that would ruin me is if you lost your faith in me, in us." She twisted around and settled against him again. "And even though you kept me in the dark about your little pet project, I'll let it slide this time." She giggled when he muttered something about it being big of her do so.

They sat in contented silence drawing lazy circles on each other. Kara's fingers were sketching them on Lee's leg; Lee's thumb was tracing them over her hand. Kara asked Lee when he had to start on the civilian pilot program and he told her his first meeting was tomorrow, followed by preliminary meetings daily throughout the week. Then the real work started and it would be almost a month before things slowed down.

Lee smiled sadly. "I'm sorry for not telling you sooner." His hand drifted over her hair as he spoke.

Kara sighed softly. "I know you are." She sat up, scooting off the seat cushion and then tugged Lee along with her. As he wrinkled his brows in confusion, she laughed lightly. "Come on, flyboy" She started toward their bedroom dragging a willing Lee behind her. "We've got some quality time to get in before the craziness sets in." She paused in the doorway to brush her lips over his letting out a startled squeak when he scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bed. She laughed hysterically when he lifted her high and dropped her right down in the center of it. The laughter died out when he stood at the end of the bed, unbuttoning his shirt. When his shirt hit the floor; the bed sank with his weight as his knees started a slow crawl toward her. Kara stared into his blue eyes as he inched closer to her. She settled back in the pillows and with a wicked grin thought 'Oh yeah…quality time, indeed.'

FIN


	5. Chapter 5

Originally posted: January 18, 2006

PART 5

Kara woke slowly laying in her favorite position, sprawled atop Lee's naked chest, the sound of his breathing in her ear. Their legs were entwined and she gently moved hers out from under his so she could stretch out the remnants of sleep. Her mind flashed back to the previous night and she grinned. Quality time was an understatement. They did the quality thing and upped the ante by throwing in quantity as well. If her pleasantly sore muscles were any indication, it was probably a good thing they wouldn't be seeing much of each other for the next month.

It gave her a secret thrill that she had broken her own personal record with Lee last night. She closed her eyes and let the sensual images play through her mind. They'd had smoking hot sex right after they hit the bedroom. Kara got a little buzz from the memory. There was something about Lee Adama crawling toward her with a wicked sexy look on his face that made her feel primal. They had devoured each other, practically setting the bed on fire with the heat they generated between them. Both had ended up slick with sweat so they retired to the small shower/bath combo in their quarters.

Sultry images of steam, suds, and Lee taking her from behind danced through Kara's brain. They had been in their new quarters for a couple of months and that was the first time they'd taken advantage of the shower together. It wouldn't be the last, she thought as the memory of watching their faces in the mirrored space that ran the length of the wall washed over her. Biting back a moan, she molded herself to Lee, willing her body to cool down. She thought of finishing the shower freezing cold since they'd used up their allotted ration of hot water. It didn't help.

After a quick towel off, they threw on warm, comfortable clothes and settled in to watch the late broadcast of the fleet news that was beamed over the wireless system. Nothing was going on, so they switched to a music station with no video feed. Letting the rhythms of the songs seep into them, the fiery lyrics and erotic sounds soon had their lips meeting with passion. Completely in tune, their clothing was shed and they played each other like maestros. Lee was the harmony to her melody as they strummed a finely crafted masterpiece. Bursting through the crescendo, their rhythmic breathing pulsed to a refrain. Sated and spent they drifted to sleep wrapped in each other's embrace.

Much later, they both woke up naked and chilled, as neither had remembered to throw on some type of covers. They stumbled to the warmth of their bed and snuggled together in a loving embrace. Kara's body went hot as she recalled the very best part of the night. A few hours later, she awoke to the beautiful feeling of Lee's tongue stroking over her slowly. He took his time, drawing out the exquisite sensations as she gradually built toward a climax. When she edged close to the brink, she tugged on his hair needing to feel him inside her. As he moved up over her it brought his skin into contact with hers, making her groan in pleasure. When he was poised at the apex, he held her gaze then slowly slid into her depths. Pulling back, he entered again and set a leisurely pace while he told her with both words and actions just how many different ways he loved her.

Bringing her to the edge again, he scooped her up and shifted their positions until she was astride him, totally in control. A wave of longing pooled in her belly as she recalled the sensuous finish to their night. She rode him with agonizing slowness letting the tension rise and build until they both plunged into the satisfying abyss.

Kara now shivered against Lee, her body hot and wanting. On fire for him, she needed to have him one more time before the chaos of the next month started. She decided then and there that he was just going to have to wake up. Grinning to herself, she slid down his body and angled herself until her head was positioned directly above his semi-erect penis. She flexed her fingers then gently lifted him with her hand and smiled, because even asleep, he responded to her touch. Her tongue darted out to first wet her lips then it slowly traced the bulbous tip of his shaft causing it to swell even further in her hand. Just as her warm mouth completely wrapped around him, she felt him shift beneath her as he groaned.

Lee was having a wonderful dream. He was lying in a bed with sunlight streaming through the windows and his body was feeling the pull of desire for Kara. He reached out for her and although he could feel her beside him he hit empty space by her pillow. As he wondered why she wasn't where she was supposed to be, he felt a hot, wet mouth slide over his cock and his dream dissolved into reality. Finally awake, he groaned and pushed himself up on his arms and looked directly into the eyes of an angel doing very wicked things to him. His first thought was that he loved her mouth, quickly followed by it might be the death of him. He flopped down on the pillows and muttered. "My gods, you're insatiable." She was swirling her tongue around him and he thought if she were the death of him, he'd die a happy man.

Kara would have giggled, but she was still occupied with driving Lee insane. She could feel his muscles tensing beneath her and heard his breathing quicken. A feeling of primal power shot through her at what she could reduce him to, guttural moans and rasping breaths. She teased him with her tongue while her fingers cupped the sacs of flesh at the base of his shaft. She felt his hands tangle in her hair as his breath hissed out telling her how much he loved what she did to him. Her own body flooded with heat at the reactions he was having.

Lee couldn't take much more of Kara's skill. His fingers tugged at her hair; he needed to be inside her. He felt her let go giving him a final gentle squeeze that had his eyes rolling to the back of his head. Grasping her shoulders, he pulled her up to his mouth and drove his tongue between her lips. His hand spread her legs to find her wet and ready so he lifted her hips and thrust inside her before breaking off the kiss. Holding her hips still, he continued pumping into her while saying. "You're a wicked woman, Kara." He let go of her hips and relinquished control.

Kara laughed as she slowed the pace. "That I am." Lacing her fingers with Lee's, she drew his arms above his head. Her face was inches above his, the tips of her breasts brushing against his chest. "But you love me for it." She loved having Lee flat on his back, willingly under her control. Grinding her hips back and forth, she smoothly slid along the length of him and was rewarded when Lee's eyes slammed closed and his head twisted against the pillow.

Gods yes, he loved her. He sucked in a breath and answered. "You…ah lords, Kara…" She let go of his hands, but he kept them in place. "You know I do." If she let go of his hands for the reason he thought, he wasn't going to do anything to stop her from…ah, yes…he watched as she cupped her breasts, gently rolling the nipples between her fingers. Frak, it killed him when she did that. "Please, Kara…" He wanted to participate. "Let me—" His voice trailed off as she lowered an aroused peak to his lips.

Kara's eyes slid closed as Lee's mouth latched onto her breast. She planted both hands on either side of him, writhing against his hips. His mouth moved to the other breast eliciting a gasp from her throat. She increased the pace of her grinding to match the intensity of feeling he was creating with his talented lips and tongue. On a shudder, she pressed harder against where they were joined and a sweet throbbing began to spread throughout her body. "Ah…Lee," She was spiraling out of control. "I love…" She felt his hips thrust upward and moaned softly. "Oh gods, I love you." She was so close to the edge, she sat up and grabbed Lee's hands pressing against them as her hips rocked back and forth and her vision blurred.

Lee could feel how close Kara was to orgasm. He wasn't going to be far behind. The gentle sway of her breasts, the claw of her fingers on his hands all contributed to fanning his ardor to uncontrollable levels. He pushed back against her hands as she arched her back and felt her hips move faster. He heard her sharp intake of breath and tried to prepare for the feel of her muscles clenching tightly around him. It didn't work, she let herself go and it was his turn to gasp for air as she rode him, shattering around his cock. She fell forward, spent, and he took over driving up into her until he pulsed inside her calling her name softly in her ear.

Kara held onto Lee as his shudders quieted, her whole body still pleasantly tingly. She felt his arms come around her so she lifted her head to tell him in a sultry voice. "Well, Flyboy…" Her tongue flicked against his earlobe. "I'd say between last night and this morning…" Moving to his lips, she kissed him softly. "We should be fairly well stocked up on the love." She felt his chest rumble with laughter and she joined in with giggles of her own.

Lee loved this. The moments just after they experienced pleasure beyond belief were his favorite and he savored them. He reluctantly glanced at the time. Their interlude was quickly coming to an end. He hugged Kara close to him, not wanting to leave the bed. He felt her stir and loosened his hold so she could sit up.

Kara gazed down at Lee wondering how she ended up with the best man she'd ever known. It was time; she knew it without even looking at the clock. "You have to go." She slid off his lap and nudged him then grabbed his hand and pulled him down for one more long, slow kiss.

Lee shook his head as he walked, naked, to his locker. "Sure you don't want to join me for another shower?" As he pulled a fresh uniform out, he dodged the pillow Kara threw at him. Thank the lords for the mirrors in the lockers. Laughing, he picked it up and tossed it back at her. "I'll take that as a 'no'". He pulled his shaving gear out and started for the small door.

Lying on her stomach, Kara picked up the overly tossed pillow and tucked it under her chin. As Lee was closing the door, she couldn't resist remarking. "Damn right it's a no…if I joined you in that shower, you'd never get out of there on time." His laughter rang out just before the shower turned on and she grinned. She still had three hours before her class started and she fully intended to take advantage of the time to get some much-needed sleep.

A freshly dressed Lee exited the tiny bath area to see his very naked Kara sleeping again. He walked quietly over to the bed and pulled the coverlet over her. After checking to make sure she had set an alarm, he leaned over and kissed the top of her head, then tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear. "I love you, Kara." He smoothed his hand over the coverlet one more time before standing to leave for his meeting. She would probably be asleep by the time he got back late in the evening, but at least they would sleep in the same bed.

He gathered up his case, files and the book he had grabbed on logistics and exited the hatch. As he walked out to the flight deck to catch a Raptor to Colonial One he was sporting a huge smile and greeted everyone pleasantly. No one said anything, but all were wondering what had put the blinding smile on the CAG's face.

If they only knew…

FIN


	6. Chapter 6

Originally posted on: January 24, 2006

PART 6

Lee was on his way back to the Galactica for a couple of days of well-earned downtime. Two insanely busy weeks had passed with him barely having time to say 'Hello' to Kara. Between the civilian program, CAP schedules, flight classes, sim training, and the mountains of paperwork their respective positions heaped on them, they had only managed to sleep in the same bed twice. He rested his head on the back panel of the Raptor transporting him home, thinking of when he had blown off an afternoon set of meetings to have lunch with Kara.

It was toward the end of the first week and the civilian captains, while grateful to have back-up pilots being trained, all seemed to feel their ships were the most vital to the fleet. Lee was getting tired of the constant bickering that slowed everything down and wished Kara were with him. Her running commentary on how painfully stupid things were getting would have made him less frustrated. After spending an entire morning listening to same arguments he had heard the day before, he opted to skip out on the afternoon session and head back to the Galactica to have lunch with the woman he loved and catch up on paperwork and flight rotations.

Spending two hours with Kara, regaling her with tales of petty bickering and the lack of discipline of the civilian fleet pilots had done him a world of good. Listening to her spout off about him not just knocking heads together already and informing them of the way things were going to be, convinced him that he was the luckiest man in the galaxy to have her on his side. She was right…what the hell was he waiting for? He was leading this project and it fell to him to get it off the ground. Having Kara sit across from him with a wry smile on her face telling him to just make it happen was exactly what he had needed. He put off the paperwork for his CAG duties, with the exception of the flight rotations, and mapped out an action plan for the civilian fleet's training detail. It had taken him all night, but it was fair, concise and left no room for argument. The schedule was tight and saw to the immediate needs first and trickled down from there.

The next morning he breezed into the meeting, called it to order and with the civilian flight instructors staring on in awe, he laid out the schedule. As he explained, in detail, how the process was going to proceed from this point on, no one questioned him. It was as if they all sensed he was done mollycoddling them and that they had better pay attention or get lost in the shuffle. They adjourned the meeting and left for their own ships, with not just a little respect for the Colonial Captain.

Next, Lee met with the flight instructors and divided the applicants into three classes that were going to be taught simultaneously. Each instructor would teach a single class and share responsibility for the third. The rest of the day was spent running orientations for the recruits, flying a CAP shift and finally finishing the paperwork he'd put off previously. Falling into bed that night, he murmured an exhausted 'good night' to a sleeping Kara and was dead to the world before his head hit the pillow.

While the Raptor docked on the flight deck, Lee smiled, remembering the quick dinner he shared with Kara and the President on Colonial One. Three days ago, he had been getting ready to head back to the Galactica when Laura had stopped him and asked that he remain aboard. Apparently, a dispute needed to be resolved between two of the fleet captains. Both had a tremendous need for pilots and they requested that the President resolve who would get assistance first. Laura wanted to meet with Lee and get a handle on the situation and she was afraid it would take a while.

As they sat down to dinner, Billy entered and announced that the President's guest had arrived. Lee looked up to see Kara breeze through the door. He looked over at Laura, who smiled and explained that she had asked that Kara put off grading tests this evening and have dinner with them, since she was, yet again, keeping him from heading home. Kara just shrugged her shoulders and sat down with a grin. Once Lee was sure the President wasn't going to be bringing up the marriage topic, he relaxed and enjoyed the quick meal. While Laura stepped out to take a call, he walked Kara to her shuttle and gave her a lingering kiss goodnight. As Kara had been wrapped up with teaching and flying since then, it was the last time he had actually seen her.

Stepping from the Raptor, he was surprised to feel a welcoming balm wash over him. Kara. She was the reason he felt this way. He started to head for their quarters but changed his direction and went up to C-Level. He had a sneaking suspicion she would be in her office since he was earlier than expected. He walked past the Sim Room and rounded the corner catching a glimpse of Vice President Baltar in his lab. Lee shook his head, wondering about the man and what made him tick. The thought flew from his mind as he reached the door to Kara's office and knocked quietly.

He didn't get an answer, but he somehow knew she was in there. Opening the door, he peeked inside then stepped through the hatch and smiled at the sight that greeted him. Kara was slumped over a stack of papers, probably the tests she had put off grading, fast asleep. A wave of tenderness hit him as he gazed at her in slumber. He walked quietly over and gently kissed the top of her head while running his hand down her back. She stirred, but didn't waken.

Lee smiled again. She had to be tired to fall asleep at her desk, but it was still early and he knew she wouldn't want to doze overly long or she wouldn't be able to rest later. He brushed his fingers over her cheek then lifted the hair off her nape and gave her a nuzzling kiss. Moving his lips close to her ear, he whispered. "Kara." When she started to stir again, he gently lifted her off the papers and turned her towards him.

Kara could have sworn she heard Lee's voice in her ear. She came awake slowly, thinking 'that can't be right', as she tried to remember where she was located. But it was right, Lee's hands, she would know them anywhere, were gently pulling her toward him. She yawned and blinked as she felt more than saw him sit on the edge of the desk. Blinking again to clear her focus, her gaze settled on Lee's wide grin. She was finally awake and aware, the fuzziness of sleep falling away. It was so good to see him.

Kara lifted her hand and rubbed at a kink in her neck. "Hey." Her voice was gravelly from sleep. Clearing her throat she tried again. "You're home." She held her hand out and when he grasped it, pulled herself up and moved to stand in his loose embrace. "I missed you." She gazed at him a moment then leaned forward to kiss him hello. Oh it was good that he was home.

Lee let himself drift deeper into the kiss while he gathered her to him by cupping her face with his hands. It was great to be back…even if it was only for a few days. He gently broke the kiss. "Gods Kara, it's good to be home." He echoed her thoughts as he kissed the tip of her nose. "And…missed you, too." His hands slid down her arms, stopping to rest on top of hers then he looked closely at her. She had shadows under her eyes and she looked exhausted. "Kara, what's wrong with you?" His worried face had her laughing lightly.

She knew she looked frightful; her new class of nuggets commented on it daily. "I'm fine, Lee. Just tired." When he opened his mouth to argue, she stopped him. "Look…if you really want to know, it's all your fault." With him being gone, no one reminded her she needed to sleep. Their quarters seemed empty without his presence so she spent most of her time in the office even after the paperwork was done. She felt like she was flying without her wingman.

She turned in his arms and leaned against him, her head resting on his shoulder. "My partner in crime has been MIA, so my schedule's all out of whack." She tilted her head up to look at him. "How frakked is that?" Chuckling she laid her head against his shoulder again, letting his warmth envelope her.

Lee tightened his embrace, knowing exactly what she meant. "Two days of down time…maybe we can resynchronize both of our schedules." He turned her around to face him. "The worst is over, Kara. The next two weeks will seem almost normal." If the Cylons don't attack or if the fleet doesn't have a major catastrophe or…frak, he needed to just stop thinking. He was holding Kara in his arms and his brain was focused on something other than her. He was a moron.

Kara knew the direction his thoughts went in, because hers went to the same place. "Yeah, well, define normal." It had been quiet lately…too quiet. "We're due, Lee. Overdue." She snapped her head to the side as if that would shake off the eerie thoughts. "Normal is not a watchword around here." Needing a change of subject, she added. "Besides, there are much better things to think about than 'what if'" She moved forward slightly, lightly running her hands up his thighs.

Lee felt desire kick in. Hard. He smiled wickedly at her. "Oh, I don't know about that, Kara." His hands slid around her and he pulled her to him, their faces inches apart. "What if…can be fun." His smile turned feral. "For instance, what if…I decided to kiss you?" He didn't wait for her reply. He just slanted his mouth over hers, giving her a kiss that punched him in the gut. His hands held her face and his lips slid over to her ear. "What if…I decided to frak you right here…on your desk?" He was being purposefully coarse to bump up the heat a little. "What if…we went at it fast and hard?" His lips moved over her face, placing teasing kisses until he reached her other ear. His voice took on a husky edge. "Or…what if…we went slow and mellow…all smooth and sexy." He could feel her shudder against him. When he opened his mouth to speak again, her fingers went over his lips and he paused.

Gods, what his voice did to her. He was making her insanely hot for him, but she had a few tricks up her sleeve as well. Her fingers moved down to his shirt and started on the buttons. Gazing directly at him she began. "What if…I said the desk sounds great?" She slid the shirt from his shoulders, kissing his skin as she worked his hands out of his sleeves. "What if…I said hard and fast?" She kissed her way from his collarbone up to his lips, priming him for what was yet to come. "And…what if…I told you…" Another kiss. "I have a blanket in the bottom drawer…" One final kiss, this time with her tongue slid over his bottom lip. "Of that filing cabinet right over there?" She cocked her head in the direction of the metal unit then grinned when Lee's eyes rolled back in his head and he groaned.

Lee was off the desk in a shot, unbuttoning his pants as he went. "Frak…I love you." He reached the drawer and it wouldn't open. "Damn…" He looked up Kara, his face a mask of frustration. "Keys?" He watched as she paused in her disrobing to toss him the set sitting on the desktop. He caught them one-handed then looked on as she shrugged out of her shirt. Gods, she was beautiful…and smart. "Got it." He snagged the blanket and shook out the folds. "Wonder what made you think of this?" They both knew the answer to that.

Kara was stepping out of her fatigues. "Oh that." She slid her panties down next. "A very hot pilot showed me that trick." Lee had made it to the desk and Kara took the blanket from him, laying it over the top. She turned to him. "He's incredibly bright and inventive." Her smile was contagious as they both stood there grinning like idiots. Kara was the first to break the spell. "You're not naked, yet." After pointing that out, she turned back to the desk then looked over her shoulder. "You gonna rectify that?" She bent forward over the desk while giving him a 'come hither' look that had him growling low in his throat as he made quick work of his pants.

Once they were off, Lee practically stumbled over to her. "It's rectified." Lords this was insane, he thought as Kara's lips turned up in a sultry smile. His hands traveled over her skin as he stepped up behind her, fingers delving between her legs, finding her wet and ready. "You did say hard and fast, right?" At her nod, he grasped her hips and thrust into her, causing her head to tilt back as a moan escaped her throat. He hadn't thought it possible to want her more than he already did, but he was wrong. "Ah Kara…" He bent forward and brushed his lips over her back and shoulders, the straightened to focus on the task at hand.

There was something about being with Lee like this that made her feel powerful and submissive at the same time. Adding to the allure was the fact that she had been the one who chose how they would come together and just knowing it was one his favorite ways of taking her, had a warmth spreading through her belly. The feel of his shaft sliding in and out of her slick folds made her breathing become shallow and her heart pump faster.

Ah gods, it shouldn't still be like this, Lee thought as he sank deep inside Kara. Pumping his hips in a rapid-fire rhythm, he reached for her shoulder grasping it with one hand. Her back arched and she tossed her head back, moaning as he drove deeper and harder. Using the other hand to hold her hips in place, he gasped. "Gods, Kara…" His hips slid forward again. "Gods it's good…" His breath rasped out as he kept a flimsy hold on his control, thanking the lords she picked this position, his favorite.

Kara loved it when Lee skated close to the edge of reason. With her arms supporting her, she bucked back into him and he pushed even further inside her, hitting the spot that would have her splintering out of control. Soon. "Lee…" Her voice was harsh and raspy. "Lee. Ah gods." Her held fell forward and the pressure started to build low in her belly and spread outward. Moaning again, she stammered. "Oh…now…I'm coming now." Her muscles clenched and her knees started to buckle. The only thing holding her up was Lee's hand on her hips and shoulder.

When he felt Kara start to shatter around his cock, he slid his hand down her back and grabbed her other hip. Holding her steady as she crashed, he let the thin thread of his control dissipate and thrust furiously against her. Once, twice then everything went gray and fuzzy as he came hard, groaning her name. The world stopped for a moment and he wanted desperately to hold on to the pleasure coursing through him. Just as he was thinking it should be illegal for sex to be this good, the alert sounded.

"Action stations, action stations. Condition one, set throughout the fleet."

Lee swore. "Frak!" He sprang into action, quickly followed by Kara. It had to be the Cylons. It had been over two weeks since they'd run into them. Throwing his clothes on hastily, he stated. "At least the toasters have better timing this go around." He made a grab for his shoes, but missed one. He felt it get shoved into his hand as Kara snagged hers.

Stuffing her feet into her shoes, Kara remarked. "Damn good thing, too." She looked around the scattered mess on her desk for her keys. Picking them up, she headed for the hatch. "I'd have had a serious bitch fit if we'd had a repeat of last time." Throwing open the door, she waited until Lee was through it before closing and locking it up.

Scrambling down the corridor they looked at each other while passing Baltar's lab. At the same time they said, "Stupid frakkers." Taking off at a run, they dashed for CIC.

FIN


	7. Chapter 7

Originally posted: February 7, 2006

PART 7

Lee and Kara made it through the chaos of getting the civilian flight program up and running. The first two weeks were a nightmare with constant bickering among the fleet pilots nearly driving Lee insane. Kara set him straight, telling him to just get it done already, which was what he needed. They had even managed to spend a little time together. The second two weeks were supposed to be much smoother. Lee had caught a Raptor back to the Galactica for two days of well-earned downtime. He ended up in Kara's office…he just had a feeling she'd be there. They ended up christening her desk…it was about time…his had been used often enough. At least the Cylons waited until afterwards before showing up this time.

They both ran to CIC and Lee stayed behind while Kara suited up. The Cylons had been keeping the raiding runs to no more than twelve Raiders lately and between the CAP and the alert fighters, they'd managed to take them all out. Of course the fleet had had to jump to a new location and they were only there for two days before jumping again. This time they found a planetary system that had some much needed resources and the fleet was busy replenishing while life continued in what passed as normal. Lee was finishing up the launch of the civilian back-up pilots and Kara kept up with training the new recruits.

They had been in their current system for 10 days and were two days away from being ready to jump away to a new location. Even though the hour was late, Lee's schedule was finally easing a little and he had more time to focus on his duties as CAG. He was going over the flight rotation and wondered how the hell it had gotten so frakked up. Colonel Tigh's initials were all over the place and names were switched all around. What the hell? Lee spread the pages out on his desk and really looked at the mess, he had his work cut out for him. He took a deep breath and blew it out in frustration.

Grabbing a pencil, he started erasing and rearranging. Who the frak thought it was a good idea to put Beehive with Hot Dog? They hated each other and would spend the entire rotation trash talking back and forth. Normally that would be fine, but the two of them always got particularly vicious; by the time they ended their shift, they'd end up going at each other before their canopies had even cleared their helmets. He couldn't afford to have two pilots locked up in hack, so he moved Beehive to another day and slid Kat in with Hot Dog. Now he needed someone to cover Kat's shift. Kara was first up on the back-up roster and she could cover the slot, but she'd end up pulling a double if she did. Lee checked her class schedule and noticed she had flight time scheduled with her recruits early the day after. Kara needed to be sharp if she was going to keep the nuggets together and on task. He moved the next pilot down on the list, Jolly, into the open space even though he was on shift for the following day as well. It wasn't often he asked his pilots to pull two straight days of patrol, but he was going to have to this time. After making a few other minor adjustments, he reposted the schedule and decided to call it a day. He had an early meeting scheduled with the civilian flight instructors to go over the progress of the training. He wanted to have a clear head when he met with them.

Making his way to quarters, he found himself yawning. His bed and Kara were the only two things in the universe that he wanted right now. He entered their rooms and didn't even bother turning on a light as he made his way to the bedroom. He undressed, neatly folding his uniform and stacking it on the laundry pile then he crawled into bed and molded himself to a sleeping Kara. As she stirred, he wrapped his arms around her and whispered for her to go back to sleep then kissed the side of her face before nodding off.

Two days later, stocked up on supplies, the fleet jumped to a new system. Two days after that, Lee finished what he hoped was his last run of meetings with the civilian captains and flight instructors. They would only be calling him in now for troubleshooting. He was coming off a CAP rotation, his step light as he headed for home. Kara should already be there and if the lords were smiling, she'd have food from the galley with her.

Lee opened the door and sure enough, Kara was sitting at the table tucking into a fruit dish that looked both colorful and wonderfully delicious. She lifted a hand in greeting and pushed out the chair across from her with her foot. She didn't pause in eating though, and Lee had to smile. Kara had a thing for fresh fruit. He sat down and just watched as she thoroughly enjoyed the array of tempting bite-sized morsels in her bowl. His face split with a grin when she groaned and closed her eyes in blissful wonder after popping a piece of her favorite fruit in her mouth. Watching her savor the sweet pulpy flesh, he felt the pull of desire gather in his groin. He couldn't resist, he leaned over and kissed her, licking the traces of juice away from the corner of her lip. It was light and sweet and he wasn't sure if it was because of Kara or the fruit itself. His eyes darkened as she picked up another piece and held it between her teeth. She stood, and then reached out and drew his head to hers. They split the piece between them, laughing and kissing at the same time.

Lee felt it was his turn, so he selected his favorite fruit and followed suit, splitting it with Kara. They continued feeding each other bits of their sometimes sweet, sometimes tangy dinner. At one point, Kara opened her mouth and motioned for Lee to toss a piece of fruit upwards. Her head weaved then tilted before it plopped right between her lips. Laughing, Kara picked up another piece and held it between her fingers. Lee leaned forward and snagged it with the tip of his tongue then curled it into his mouth, savoring the flavor. Occasionally they would pause to cleanse their palettes with ice water, and then start the process all over again.

Halfway through their fruit dishes, the mood changed from playful to passionate. Lee held a piece of pineapple between his fingers and as he dropped it into Kara's mouth, she caught his fingers with her hand and licked off the juices gently sucking on his fingertips. Not to be outdone, the next time Kara held a piece of tart apple between her teeth, Lee pulled her forward and pushed it into her mouth with his tongue, then lingered on her apple flavored lips. By the time they got to their final bite-sized morsel, they were both breathing heavily. Reaching for it at the same time, they split it in half and fed each other the last bit then met each other in a kiss that was sweet and hot, sweet from the fruit and hot with anticipation.

Not breaking their kiss, Lee's hands went to the sides of Kara's head and he stood gently pulling her up with him. She took over and backed him toward the bedroom as her tongue slid between his lips and her fingers started on the buttons of his uniform. Lee's tongue melded with hers and she ended up backing him into the doorjamb when his fingers brushed over her tummy so he could work on the buttons of her fatigues. He shifted his position, but over-compensated sending her back against the other side of the door as he tried to get his arms out of his sleeves. He held her against the jamb as he pushed her pants downward, kissing her throat as he let her take over once they were past her hips. She used her feet to work them the rest of the way down while tackling his pants. Once she got them unfastened, Lee paused in his relentless onslaught to pull Kara's shirts over her head.

Clad in only her bra and panties, she shoved Lee's pants down then pushed him toward the bed. When he reached the edge she gave him a light shove sending him off his feet. As he lay back, she crawled up beside him and beginning at the edge of his boxers, kissed her way up his stomach to his chest to his lips. Lee surprised her by pulling her on top of him as he nipped at her collarbone while pulling up her bra. His lips closed over a nipple and she moaned and grabbed onto his head, holding him against her. He worked his way over her other nipple as his hand drifted down her back ending up at the waistband of her panties. His fingers slid under the elastic and he had just cupped her ass when the insistent buzz of the comm phone sounded from the wall.

Not wanting to stop what he was doing, Lee mumbled. "Grab that, will you." He scooted them up closer to the phone so Kara could reach it. He went back to what he was doing, his tongue darting from one aroused nipple to the other.

Kara gasped at the feel of his tongue then groaned as the buzz sounded again. She reached out and snagged the handset from the wall. "Somebody better be dead or dying." She barked into the phone. If it was one of her new nuggets calling about test grades she was going to shoot them. Lee had her panties halfway down when she tensed at hearing the voice on the other end of the phone. "Commander…" She paused, listening to Adama ask if Lee was with her. She bit back a giggle…he most certainly was…with her, under her…not much of a difference. "Um, yes. He's right here." She pulled back away from Lee who sighed and collapsed back against the pillows. "Did you need to speak with him?" At Adama's affirmative reply, she handed Lee the phone.

Lee shot her a questioning look and got her non-committal shrug as an answer. "Sir." He snagged Kara's arm and pulled her down beside him when she made to move off the bed. "You needed to speak with me?" He watched as Kara tugged her underclothes back in place, much to his disappointment.

After a pause on Adama's end, he finally spoke. "Son. I need you and Starbuck to report to my quarters, A-SAP." He sighed, long and hard. "There's been a formal complaint lodged against the two of you." Sensing that Lee was going to ask questions, he added. "My quarters. Fifteen minutes." Then he disconnected the call.

Lee sat in stunned silence, trying to figure out who could have a beef with both Kara and himself. Off the top of his head, no one came to mind. He felt Kara's hand on his shoulder as she took the phone from him and replaced it against the wall. Looking up, he met her eyes. "We'd better get dressed." At her nod, they both gathered their clothes. She didn't say anything, but he knew she was curious. "The Commander's quarters. Fifteen minutes." As she opened her mouth to ask, he stated. "Seems we've got trouble."

FIN


	8. Chapter 8

Originally posted: February 17, 2006

PART 8

The pilots were just starting to get life back to normal. Lee's schedule was finally slowing down and he could focus on his CAG responsibilities. First thing was to put the flight schedule to rights, which was a complete mess courtesy of Colonel Tigh. Lee posted the new schedule and went about his normal routine for a couple of days. After sharing an almost erotic dinner with Kara, they retired to the bedroom to finish what they started. The comm phone interrupted them with Adama on the other end. A formal complaint had been lodged against both Lee and Kara; they needed to report to the Commander's quarters, A-SAP. They dressed, both wondering who had a problem with them. They exited the hatch and fell into step beside each other.

Lee tried to think back in his mind at who might have an issue with him. No one on board Galactica. The civilian pilots were another story, but Kara wasn't involved in that program at all, so she wouldn't be included in a formal complaint. Another thought struck him as they both walked quietly toward the Commander's quarters. Frak. How to broach the topic? Dive right in would probably be the best bet. "Uh…Kara?" He waited until she glanced over at him. "Um, you haven't pissed anyone off that I don't know about have you?" He'd almost said 'more than usual', but caught himself. It was a question that wasn't going to make her happy.

Kara rolled her eyes. "Not that I know of, Lee." She took a deep breath then continued. "But you know me…I walk into a room and piss people off. Namely Colonel Tigh." If that old jackass had anything to do with this she was going to slug him…just for good measure. Getting interrupted had not put her in a good mood and she couldn't think of anyone who would have it in for her currently. A small smile curved her lips as she amended that thought. Her new class of nuggets might just have it in for her…she was a tough instructor. The complaint was against both of them though, so that ruled her recruits out. "I avoid him if possible. So you got me." Her shoulder lifted indicating she had no idea who would complain about both of them.

As they rounded a corner connecting them to the corridor that would take them to Adama's quarters, she turned the tables on him. "What about you?" She glanced his way. "Jam anyone up lately?" She knew he hadn't…when would he have had the time?

Lee shook his head. "Ever since we were rudely interrupted, I've been racking my brain…I got nothing." As they reached the Commander's quarters, he stopped and paused before knocking. "Whatever this is…we'll deal with it and get the hell back home." He raised his hand and rapped on the door. "We've got some unfinished business to pick up." He winked in response to her bark of laughter then opened the door after hearing 'Enter' from his father.

Letting Kara precede him, he glanced around the sitting area. It was empty so he looked toward his father's desk. Adama sat behind it and off to his side was the President. She smiled a small, tight smile before nodding her head in greeting as Lee and Kara moved to stand in front of the desk at attention. The Commander was silently reading through the formal complaint and had yet to acknowledge them, so Lee let his mind spin off possible reasons for having the President get involved in this process. He'd already ruled out the civilian pilot program so the only thing he could think of that she would have a stake in was the relaxed regs and the challenges they sometimes presented.

He'd had a couple things crop up due to the new policies and he held back a smile as he thought of the scathing lecture he'd delivered to Kat and Hotdog right before his schedule went insane. He'd caught them practically frakking up against a bulkhead outside the briefing room. After calling them to attention…giving each of them a few moments to right their clothing, he'd marched them into the briefing room and blasted both of them for their very public display of affection. Chastised, Hotdog had tried to defend their position by pointing out that Lee had physically carried Kara across the hanger deck to their quarters. Kat smacked him, hard, on the shoulder and told him to shut his yap.

Lee acknowledged the point, but added that at the time, he and Kara both had all major body parts covered. Then he raised an eyebrow and asked if the same could be said if he'd caught them five minutes later. Kat had blushed scarlet and apologized, nudging Hotdog until he did the same. Lee smiled at both of them and let them know he understood where they were coming from but the purpose of having quarters assigned to them was so they could do whatever the frak they wanted…behind closed doors.

They'd spoken a little longer regarding the loosened policies and by the time he dismissed them they were all laughing and Lee was sure they were completely clear on what was acceptable behavior. Other than a few other little things, he couldn't think of anything regarding the fraternization codes that would affect both Kara and himself. He was pulled from his thoughts as the Commander spoke putting them both at ease.

Adama looked at his two pilots and once again thought that the complaint he'd just read was a load of crap. "Sit." He motioned them into two of the four chairs in front of his desk. "We'll get things started in a moment." He lifted his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm sure you have questions and we'll get to those." He let his frames fall back into place before glancing their way again. "What's your experience been with Jolly lately?" He watched both of them closely and neither of them gave any indication that they'd been expecting something like this. Sighing inwardly, Adama knew it was going to be a tricky situation to handle.

Kara wondered aloud. "Jolly, Sir?" At Adama's nod, she thought about the pilot, Lieutenant Marcus Weatherby. Kara had known him since flight school, he was a good stick, not flashy, but he got the job done. They hadn't run in the same circles and still didn't. When they were at the academy, she was prone to be locked up in hack on their off days and he more than likely would have been sitting in a library or book café. Weatherby was a thinker, very analytical and if she'd thought Lee had a stick up his ass when she first met him, well, Jolly had the whole damn tree.

She didn't hold that against him though and they'd always worked well together even if they didn't back slap each other after a flight rotation. "He's a good pilot. I think I flew with him last week sometime." Kara was almost embarrassed to admit; she couldn't remember the last time she spoke to him though. He just didn't register on her radar. She shot a look at Lee who sat with a puzzled expression on his face.

Lee nodded, indicating he agreed with Kara's assessment of Jolly's skills. "He's steady and stable in the cockpit." He pondered the Lieutenant a moment. Something was hovering on the edge of his mind, but he couldn't put his finger on it so he continued. "He gets the job done, no muss no fuss." Jolly was one of his better pilots, low maintenance, unlike some of his other pilots…the one sitting next to him, for instance. "What's going on, dad?" Lee used the parent card, since they were alone. He really wanted to know what to expect.

William sat back in his seat and glanced over at Laura before beginning. "Lieutenant Weatherby has filed a formal complaint, citing favoritism due to the relaxed regs." He watched as two mouths fell open in shock. "I've asked the President here to witness the proceedings." He leaned forward again, resting his forearms on the desk. "She needs to have a grip on what we could end up dealing with." He paused a moment. "Not on a regular basis, I hope." With that he handed a copy of the formal complaint to both pilots, then he sat back again and let them read through the printed pages.

As soon as Lee got to the second paragraph that listed the actual reason for the complaint his memory clicked. The schedule change he posted what, almost a week ago. He'd had to schedule Jolly for two straight days of patrol…that's what this was about? Lee glanced over at Kara who had no idea he'd even changed things around. Talk about not being fair. He had some explaining to do. "Uh, Dad…" A knock sounding at the door stopped Lee. He watched, as his father smoothly became the Commander before allowing the entry of the next group.

Lee shot a quick glance at Kara whose face was rigidly set. Oh yeah, he had some explaining to do. Heaving a sigh, he stood as Jolly entered flanked by Colonel Tigh. Gods could this get any worse, he thought acknowledging both men with a nod of his head before sitting back down. He consciously slid his chair closer to Kara's and when she flicked her gaze to him, his told her to trust him and that, yes, he had a very good reason for changing the schedule. The slightest inclination of her head was the only response he got, but relief shot through him that her expression didn't change, indicating that she'd let him take the lead.

Kara wasn't completely sure what was going on, but after reading the complaint she had the general idea. Jolly was frakked if he had the notion that Lee gave her preferential treatment because they were a couple. Gods, if he had a clue how much it irritated Lee when people thought he got away with stuff because he was Adama's son, he would never have filed a complaint citing fraternization as the root of a problem. She turned her attention back to the group after the Commander exchanged greetings with the newcomers. As everyone was seated, he explained again the reason for the President's presence, which elicited a grunt from Tigh. Kara rolled her eyes…Tigh's feelings on the relaxation of military regs were well known throughout the ship.

Of course, it was just peachy that his frakwit of a non-military wife lived on board making a play for anything that passed as a member of the opposite sex. Kara had seen the harpy of a woman exit Dr. Baltar's lab on numerous occasions and considering the guy was spaced out most of the time, she had no doubt there was something going on between the two of them. She held back a snort as Adama began to address the issue at hand.

Sitting with his fingers loosely clasped on top of the desk, Adama addressed Jolly first. "Lieutenant. The complaint's been read by the recipients." When Jolly indicated that he understood, Bill continued. "The next step'll be formal charges. Is that the direction you plan to go in?" He hoped it wasn't. The thought of putting either one of his top pilots in hack again didn't sit well with him.

Jolly slid a glance over to Tigh, who shrugged. He wasn't getting any help from that quarter. He was fairly intimidated by everyone in the room. He knew he was a good pilot, but he was sitting in a roomful of great pilots AND the President of the frakking Colonies. There wasn't a single person in the Commander's quarters who hadn't put it on the line numerous times to save the fleet. Well, so had he…so had everyone aboard this ship. He didn't care if he looked like a whiny, prissy pilot who needed props for a job well done. That's not why he'd filed the complaint.

He filed it because he had pulled two weeks straight of back-to-back patrols and it sucked. He didn't mind stepping up for his fair share of the work, but fifteen-hour patrol rotations two days in a row was a pain in the ass. Two weeks straight of that was torture. At first he'd wondered what he'd done to piss of the CAG. Then he got a hold of the back-up pilot roster and noticed that Starbuck was the first pilot listed. It had been at least three weeks since she'd pulled a double rotation and it irritated him that the CAG had skipped over her and used him to plug the schedule.

His first thought was that it must be nice to be sleeping with the top dog pilot. His second was that all Captain Adama would have had to do was let him know why he was putting him down for two weeks of shit work. He didn't think it was too much to ask. Common courtesy. That's all he wanted.

Looking at the Commander's set features, he ran a hand through sandy blonde hair more to collect his thoughts, than because it was mussed. As if. He took pride in his appearance, and remembering this caused him to sit up straighter and meet the Commander's stare. "Sir, I don't know that formal charges are necessary." If he got an apology, he'd let it slide. "I'm willing to listen to anything the Captain and Lieutenant have to say." There, that was a big concession on his part, now they could proceed with the apology.

When the Commander looked his way, Lee opened with a salvo aimed directly at his pilot. "I want to know why I had to hear about an issue through a formal complaint and not through the open door of my office." He turned to Jolly and quirked an eyebrow.

Brown eyes met blue. Jolly hadn't expected the question. "I think the nature of the complaint makes it clear why I didn't come to you directly." Jeez…did he have to spell this out? He had hoped they could handle this with a little decorum.

Kara jumped into the conversation. "Would someone care to fill me in?" She didn't have the patience to deal with male posturing right now. "I'd like to know when Captain Adama showed me preferential treatment." She paused a moment, then added. "Cause I sure as hell missed it…unless I have a twin wandering the ship somewhere." She rolled her eyes, indicating the ridiculousness of that thought.

Tigh snorted and folded his arms across his chest. "Gods forbid." He couldn't resist baiting her and was somewhat disappointed when Kara opened her mouth, then closed it choosing not to engage.

Jolly just looked at her like she'd sprouted a second head. "You can't tell me you don't know he put me down for two back-to-back patrols last week when your name was at the top of the list." Did they think he was stupid? They lived together for frak's sake.

Kara didn't like his tone and her jaw clenched at the same time Lee's did. Not giving Lee time to respond, she stated. "I'm telling ya." The look on her face dared him to say differently. He started to speak then thought better of it.

Lee had had enough. "She didn't know. We've been a little busy." The tone of his voice could freeze water. "Beyond that…I'm the CAG. I can schedule whomever I want to cover patrols." Lee knew that sounded bad and even though both his father and the Colonel gave him looks, he continued. "I don't have to explain my reasons to any of you…save the Commander, if necessary." He paused here because it was true and he let that fact settle in. "That said…I wouldn't have had a problem explaining the change to you had you bothered to ask me about it." Jolly was in for some nasty maintenance shifts if he continued having an attitude.

Marcus just snorted. "Yeah. I can see it now." He tried to pull of an imitation of Lee. 'Sorry lieutenant, but the fleet needs you. You'll just have to suck it up and fly your patrols.' His tone and posture said something completely different. I'm sorry lieutenant…I need some alone time with Starbuck, get your ass in that Viper and fly your shift.

Lee's nostrils flared in anger. "Excuse me. But a double flight rotation in one week doesn't constitute blatant favoritism and–" He was cut off with a wave of Lt. Weatherby's hand.

"It wasn't just a single week." Marcus was nearly shouting. "That was the second straight week I had to fly patrol for two days straight." Gods, all he had wanted was an apology and maybe to prove a point that relaxing the military regs wasn't such a good idea.

Lee was at a loss. "I didn't schedule you for two rotations the previous week." He knew he hadn't done that but there was someone who might have. He turned toward Colonel Tigh with raised eyebrows.

Tigh admitted. "I did that." He shrugged his shoulders. "Beehive asked for personal time for some medical thing he had to have done." His tone dared Lee to make an issue of it. If the CAG didn't have to explain himself, the XO most certainly didn't have to.

Lee shook his head. "Damn it, Colonel. If I'd known the lieutenant had just flown a two day patrol I would have moved on down to the next name." Lee was beginning to understand why Jolly wasn't happy, but the fact that he'd gone to the extreme of filing a complaint still pissed him off. "You might want to make sure I have the weekly reports as soon as you're finished with them…sir." He'd added the 'sir' as an afterthought to prove a point…none of this would have happened if he'd had those.

The Colonel scoffed. "You don't need them to schedule your roster." Tigh was old school military…none of the mollycoddling bullshit these new guys used worked for him. Nope…when he made changes, he followed the book for everything. "You put a pilot on the roster, they fly their shift. End of story." He looked at Weatherby as he made the statement. "All this hand-wringing over the schedule. What the hell?" He just truly didn't get it.

Lee gritted his teeth in frustration. "This 'hand-wringing' as you put it, is about keeping a group of pilots in the air and effective." Looking directly at Tigh, he continued. "In case you hadn't noticed the world ended and we don't have many pilots left." He glanced over to the Commander. "We're stretched to our limits and until the new class of recruits gets through basic flight, the juggling that goes on with the schedule is going to continue." When Adama didn't indicate he had issues with what Lee was saying, he plowed onward. "I'll make changes as necessary to keep the pilots as happy as possible. If that means the Hotdog doesn't fly with Beehive because they'll end up in hack if they do, then I'll make the change." He stopped himself from going further. He was explaining things and he shouldn't have to.

Tigh jumped back in. "If you're the CAG, you shouldn't worry about keeping pilots happy…you should worry about covering the flight rotations." He paused then added. "Period."

Kara entered the fray. "Yeah. That works." She was speaking from experience when she added. "Thirty pilots with ten in hack…who's gonna cover rotations, then?" Gods the Colonel was such an ass and she was feeling an intense urge to punch him.

Lee was starting to get pissed off again. "Look, Colonel." His tone was snarky. "Why don't you just keep your hands off my schedule and I'll keep the birds in the air." He sat forward, ready to do battle.

Tigh leaned forward also. "Now see here, Captain." He was working himself up to deliver a scathing set down.

Adama had had enough. "Gentlemen!" All eyes in the room focused on him. "Let's stick with the matter at hand." He spoke to Jolly again. "What are you after here, Lieutenant?" Adama had a hunch there was more to the complaint than pulling two weeks of crappy patrols.

Glad to be back on topic, Jolly stated. "I'm after a fair shake, sir." He glanced over at the two senior pilots. "And I don't feel I got one with the recent change in schedule." He didn't like the way Starbuck was watching him. He'd have to watch his back for a while.

The Commander glanced at Lee. "Captain, why'd you skip Starbuck?" He already knew Lee would have a good reason that had nothing to do with the fact he was living with Kara. He sensed that Lt. Weatherby needed to hear it from Lee.

While it chafed at Lee to have to explain his reasons, he felt his lack of availability was the cause of much of Jolly's disgruntlement. "Look…I haven't been available to thoroughly go over the schedules." He gave Tigh a look that would fry most people. "I don't ask my pilots to pull two weeks straight of back-to-back patrols." Turning his attention back to Jolly, he continued. "You won't have to do another one for quite awhile…unless we lose half the squadron." He smiled, hoping to undo some of the damage. "I'll be around more often now…that should eliminate a lot of the confusion." Lee finished up what he hoped would be the end of an unpleasant experience.

The room was silent as everyone sat in various thought processes. The President felt another shoe was about to drop. Kara wanted to be done with the whole thing. Tigh was just waiting for his opportunity to get some licks in and Jolly still didn't feel like he'd received a suitable apology. He was of the mind that the CAG would pretty much say anything to justify favoring Starbuck on the schedule.

Adama could tell it wasn't over, but he tried to wind things down. "Lieutenant Weatherby, anything else to add?" He'd give him a little more time to vent, but it was clear to Adama that Lee hadn't purposefully scheduled his pilot for two weeks of patrols.

Marcus sat silently for a moment. This wasn't going the way he'd seen it going. It wasn't just the schedule. Starbuck got away with stuff no one else did. And it was just worse now…he didn't care if she had taken on additional responsibilities as the flight instructor. How could they not recognize that the CAG always gave her preferential treatment? Hell…he'd sleep with the CAG if it caught him a break in the rotations.

He decided to pursue things further. "I'm pleased to know I won't have another two weeks like I've had for a good long while, but it doesn't address the root problem, does it?" Weatherby knew he was skating very close to insubordination, but he'd be damned if he wouldn't give this his best shot. The CAG and the top dog pilot shouldn't be shacking up. It begged trouble from all quarters.

Kara was getting angry. They'd wasted enough time here. "What exactly is the root problem, Jolly?" She couldn't wait for him speak the words aloud. She was going to go after him with both barrels.

Once again, Marcus wasn't comfortable with the way she was looking at him. Her eyes were blazing and her voice was pitched low. He took a deep breath and just blurted it out. "The problem is you get preferential treatment because you're living with the CAG." Now that it was out, Jolly was on a roll. "You don't have to fly CAP more than twice a week, you're on alert status less frequently than the rest of us and your maintenance shifts are practically non-existent." He didn't realize how angry he was about everything until the words kept spilling out of his mouth.

The entire room sat in stunned silence. Tigh had a gleam in his eye and a smug little smile on his face. The President, who had been taking notes, pulled her glasses off and stared at the lieutenant speculatively. The Commander's jaw was set and his eyes were narrowed as he slowly let the words settle in his mind. Lee was staring at his pilot with his mouth hanging open, the shock of Jolly's tirade leaving him momentarily speechless. His mouth closed and reopened, as he got ready to address the pilot. Once again…Kara beat him to it.

Kara had officially passed angry. "Let me get this straight." She looked directly at Weatherby as she spoke in a low controlled voice. "My easier flight and maintenance schedule has nothing to do with the four hour classes I teach daily…" She leaned forward in her seat, "…or the time spent in the sim room with 25 recruits putting them through their paces before true space flight…" As she continued to speak her voice gradually rose in volume until she finished with. "No. It has everything to do with the fact that I'm frakking the CAG! That's what you think?" She stood and looked down at Jolly with contempt. "Are you jealous?" She spat the words out, their nasty implication making Marcus flinch. Lee and Adama closed their eyes in mortification, Roslin's mouth gaped open and Tigh was trying unsuccessfully to keep a straight face. She was taking step forward when Lee interjected.

Grabbing Kara's arm, Lee held it loosely in his grip. "Kara." He tugged gently and she sat back down, the look on her face telling him she wasn't pleased he stepped in. "I've got it from here." Turning to face Jolly, Lee gave him a hard stare. "I'm not going to apologize for the way I scheduled the rotations." He had a hunch that's what the lieutenant was partially after. Maybe if he'd come to Lee first, he would have offered up one, but not now.

Blowing out a sigh, he moved forward. "Look, for your information I didn't schedule Starbuck for the rotation because she had a class full of nuggets scheduled for 'real flight' training the next day." It was all the explanation the pilot deserved, but he continued. "Twenty-five nuggets, in actual space for the first time, and a flight instructor coming off a double shift would not have made a good combination." Lee stood and moved to stand behind his chair, grasping the seat back with his hands.

He continued. "Starbuck needed to be sharp to keep a class full of recruits on task and get them home safely." He looked over at Weatherby again. "That's my job. The safety of the pilots…their well being…making sure the schedule's covered. All of it." He straightened, folding his arms over his chest. "You were next on the list, you got scheduled. The fact that you pulled two double rotations in two weeks is unfortunate, but it's got nothing to with whom I live with. Nothing." Lee walked back around and sat again. "If I had scheduled Starbuck, she would have flown her shift and still been out there with the recruits the next day. No questions asked." He glanced at Kara who was nodding her head. "It was my call to bump her down the back-up roster for the safety of the recruits, not because she sleeps in the same bed I do." That was it…he was done explaining. Anything else was going to have to come from someone else. The more he thought about the situation, the angrier he became.

Kara had one additional comment. "You know, sleeping together has nothing to do with it." She looked over at Roslin. "Insane frakked up schedules…there's the culprit." She watched as the President nodded in agreement.

Laura had stayed silent to this point and it was her turn to say her piece. She stood and everyone else did with her. She motioned them all to sit back down. "Commander, if I may?" At Adama's nod, she opened with a zinger. "I won't rehash information already stated. I think we all know what's really going on here." She moved to stand in front of the desk, putting her right in Lt. Weatherby's line of sight. "Lieutenant, you pulled some…" She paused, searching for the word she wanted, "…rough shifts." She pulled her glasses off then leaned against the desk.

She paused a moment before continuing. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but it would seem the blame could be laid on a number of people, myself included." She was referring to asking Lee to head up her civilian pilot program. "It does not just belong to Captain Apollo and Lieutenant Starbuck." She glanced over at Colonel Tigh, leaving that bit of blame unspoken. "I think your concerns of favoritism have been addressed sufficiently, wouldn't you agree?" She had really left him no opening for argument.

At his reluctant nod, Roslin continued. "Good." She stood again. "That being said, I think you should carefully consider facts not in evidence the next time you decide to file a formal complaint involving favoritism. The continuation of the human race and good of the fleet is at stake. Unfounded complaints waste time and energy better directed at protecting and providing for the greater good of us all." She slid her glasses back on then glanced over at Tigh. "Wouldn't you agree Colonel?" She was locking everyone in on this subject so there would be no surprises at a later date.

Tigh gave a start when she drew him in and he growled a little before answering. "I'd say that's a good idea." He hated being backed into a corner by Roslin, but she had a valid point. Three of their pilots, the Commander and the XO were all tied up in a meeting that turned out to be for nothing. He'd ask more questions the next time someone came griping to him that's for sure.

Laura smiled sweetly at him but her eyes had a hard edge. "Thank you, Colonel." Turning to Adama, she said. "Commander." Then she gathered up her file and notepad. "I'm late for a Quorum meeting, we'll discuss this more later." A slight inclination of his head was all she needed to be on her way out the door after saying a round of pleasant good-byes to all present.

Bill bit back a grin. Taking a moment, he admired the way she'd maneuvered both the Colonel and Lt. Weatherby into a corner, leaving them no way out but to agree that neither Lee nor Kara should be brought up on charges. That they had in fact gone out of their way to do what was right. She wasn't lacking a strategic mind and he had a huge amount of respect for her ability to cut right to the crux of the situation.

Sitting back in his seat, he let his gaze fall on each person in the room, Lee and Kara both looked like they could do with some rest. Tigh was his usual surly-looking self and Lt. Weatherby looked a little shell-shocked. Adama decided to start with him. "Lieutenant Weatherby." He paused as Marcus went to stand at attention and waved to put him at ease. "At your request, the Colonel was here as witness to the resolution of your complaint." He moved to stand in front of his pilot. "Has the issue been resolved to your satisfaction?" He held Weatherby's gaze with his own and waited for his nod of acceptance. Offering his hand, he gave the pilot's a vigorous shake. "Let's get back on track. Give the CAG some time to get back on top of the schedule. Things will be smoother from here." He directed Marcus to the door, with Colonel Tigh on their heels.

As the Colonel exited, Adama stated. "Thanks, Saul." When Tigh turned to acknowledge him, he added. "Lee will take it from here. Let the Lieutenant know if he's got issues, to bring them up with the CAG." His words held double meaning and Tigh gave a quick nod of understanding. He was to back off as of now and let the pilots work it out.

When he turned back, Lee and Kara were standing, talking quietly. Lee was verifying that Kara understood his change in the back-up roster and she did, although she commented it would have just been as simple to let her work the double since they had to go through the crap they were right now. He smiled as he walked over and put and hand on each of their shoulders. "Go on. Go home." Squeezing gently, he guided them both to the hatch. "You both look like you could use some rest." He caught a sly look between them as they turned and waved, and he closed the door with a sigh. He wasn't even going to ponder that exchange. The important thing was one more crisis had been diverted and by Laura Roslin no less. He'd have to invite her to dine with him again sometime soon.

He made his way back to his desk and sat down. He had a feeling they could expect more of this type of complaint as the newness of having co-habitation on board began to wear off. He opened his top drawer and slid out his journal. He'd been writing in it a lot lately and today was no different. Things were changing rapidly within the fleet and he wanted some kind of personal record of the events as they took place. He opened the book to the last marked page and began to write.

Lieutenant Marcus Weatherby stood at his locker, gazing in the mirror at his reflection. Today hadn't gone quite the way he'd thought it would. The apology he was expecting didn't happen and the President had more or less indicated that the pilots who chose to live together would come out on top in any given situation. He reached inside his locker and felt along the edges until his fingers found the slim volume he was looking for. He checked over his shoulder to make sure he was alone then he pulled the book out and opened it. Inside was a log of all the grievances he'd had, real or imagined; he was very methodical about keeping track.

Grabbing a pen, he walked over to his bunk, sat on the edge and then pulled his feet up and planted them on the bunk with his knees bent. Using them as a 'desk' he put pen to paper and added today's summarization to the growing list of things that were wrong with the world since it ended.

FIN


	9. Chapter 9

Originally posted: February 21, 2006

PART 9

Lee and Kara made their way back to quarters in reflective silence. Both were taking the time to ponder the complaint filed by Lt. Marcus "Jolly" Weatherby and the possible fallout. Kara was using the time to let her anger burn itself out. If she weren't so damn tired, she would have suggested a bout with the punching bag hanging in the workout room. As it was, she WAS tired…of a lot of things. Right now, whiny pilots topped her list…followed closely by XO's who should ditch personal grudges at the door. Her opinion of Tigh just dropped another notch. He was entirely too gleeful of the position she and Lee had been put in. A ghost of a smile flitted across her face and her anger dissipated. Thank the gods for President Roslin. She'd backed Tigh into a corner he couldn't talk himself out of. It was a beautiful thing to watch. Kara was going to thank her the next time she had a chance to talk to her.

Mentally checking the flight schedule, Lee made sure he hadn't assigned any additional double shifts to Jolly. He was also trying not to plot the demise of Colonel Tigh. He might be his father's right hand man, but Lee wasn't finding much use for him. Pain in the ass was the nicest description he could come up with at the moment. He shook his head. The President had deftly pulled the rug out from under the Colonel. And she thought she knew nothing about military strategy. The woman was a master at cutting right to it…and getting what she wanted. He owed her a debt of gratitude. Now it was up to him to keep his pilot in line and on board with her policies.

Entering their quarters, they went straight to the bedroom and by unspoken agreement; they undressed and slid between the sheets before either of them said a word. Once they were settled comfortably with Lee sitting propped up against the pillows and Kara tucked up against his chest, they had their wind-down conversation.

Lee started it with a sigh. "He'll need to be watched." He was referring to Jolly and didn't like that they had to even consider the prospect.

Kara nodded in agreement. "Yep." She raised her eyes to Lee's. "How much does this suck?" They'd met for over a month in secret, gotten caught, spent time in the brig, and finally they took advantage of the relaxed regs…only to be sucked into a mess by a pissy pilot who had an axe to grind.

Lee rolled his eyes. "It sucks a lot." He yawned and tilted his head from side to side, working out a kink in his neck. "I can't let him stir up the other pilots." He slid down the pillows until he was lying next to Kara and yawned again.

Kara agreed. "I know. We'll both keep watch for signs of trouble." Lee didn't need the additional stress from this. His change of the schedule made sense and thankfully the facts backed him up. "Let's worry about it tomorrow…I'm too tired to think right now." She pressed a kiss to his chest and snuggled down under the covers.

Lee sighed again. "Works for me." He smothered another yawn and dropped a kiss on the top of head. "'Nite." He reached over her head and flicked off the bedside light.

Lee spent the next morning going over the schedule with a fine-tooth comb comparing it to the weekly logs he'd found on his desk when he arrived. He had a feeling his father had something to do with them being there and he would have loved to have been present when the Commander had informed Tigh to get the stick out of his ass.

He made a couple of adjustments to the current schedule before he was satisfied there wouldn't be any other pilots in a position to bitch about their shifts. He wanted life to run smoothly again and having the schedule firmly back in his control was a step in the right direction. Having Kara to himself for longer than took to eat a meal was his next goal. They'd been well on their way to an enjoyable evening before getting summoned about the complaint and Lee needed to spend some time with her. It wasn't even about the physical aspect…although he certainly appreciated that…it was about just being with her.

Lately they'd been more like Vipers just passing each other on CAP than a committed couple that loved each other. It was like rooming with someone at the academy…only he shared a bed with this roommate. He missed being inside her head and knowing what she was thinking before she thought of it herself. Truth be told, she still fascinated him and he doubted that spending another fifty years with her would end that for him. She was constantly changing and evolving all the while staying true to her core of steel. He loved that about her and being a first hand witness to the ever varying degrees of what she was made him that much better of a man.

While they had always been friends, he honestly couldn't imagine their lives not being entwined together now. Kara filled holes in himself that he'd not been aware of and it was scary and exhilarating at the same time. They really needed to carve out time to just be Kara and Lee, not Lieutenant Thrace and Captain Adama. Maybe they should look into taking some downtime off ship somewhere.

He gathered up the flight schedule and was just rising to post it when the Chief popped his head in the door. Lee paused behind the desk. "Chief. What can I do for you?" He prayed there wasn't another issue with the pilots.

The Chief nodded his head in greeting. "Captain." He stepped into the office with hands behind his back. "I've got something I think you'll want to see." With a grin, he drew his hands forward and held up two discs. "These are the latest sims from the last two Cylon attacks." He handed them over. "Thought you might know someone who would want to test them for any glitches." He cracked a big smile as he said it, knowing full well that Lee wouldn't be able to wait to try them out.

Lee grinned back as an idea clicked into place. "You have no idea how great your timing is, Chief." He shook the engineer's hand. "I've got a schedule to check." With that Lee made to exit the door and the Chief fell into place beside him.

As they left the office, Tyrol turned toward Lee. "I hope you enjoy yourself, sir." He made a move away from the Captain and then said over his shoulder. "Tell Lieutenant Thrace I want her feedback also." His lips quirked up in a knowing grin and then he meandered down the hanger bay to check the status of a downed Viper.

Lee chuckled at how well the Chief seemed to know them. He stuck the discs in his pocket and stopped by the briefing room to repost the flight schedule and then the simulator schedule. He let the idea he'd had earlier form up in his mind. He was going block off the next couple of hours in the Sim Room for himself and Kara and they were going to spend some quality time together. She would be wrapping things up in her office from her morning class and neither of them had anything pressing right now. He smiled as he traversed the corridors to C-Deck thinking that new test sims and two Viper simulators that hadn't been christened yet would make for some excellent time well spent. He couldn't wait to see the look on Kara's face when he uttered the phrase "Follow Me."

Rounding the corner leading to Kara's office, Lee literally bumped into Ellen Tigh coming out of Dr. Baltar's lab. His hand shot out to steady her and keep her upright while her hand grabbed at his arm as she laughed lightly.

Lee cursed at whom he'd bumped into. "Ellen." He made sure she wasn't going to fall over due to her ridiculously high heels…who wore heels on a battleship? "I'm uh, sorry. Wasn't paying attention." He let go of her elbow and made a move to step away, but Ellen kept a firm hold on his arm. He paused and looked at her with questioning eyes.

Ellen Tigh loved getting her hands on Bill Adama's son. She slid her hand down his arm suggestively. "That's all right, Lee." She moved a step closer to him. "No harm done." She gave him an appraising look. "To either of us."

Lee felt like he was being stripped down to his skivvies with the way she was eyeing him. Hoping to extract himself from her presence, his lips just quirked up in a small grin. He couldn't think of any other response that would end the exchange quickly. Hopefully she'd just go on to wherever it was she was headed.

No such luck.

Ellen looped her arm over his. "It's wonderful to see you…where were you headed in such a hurry?" Her 'meeting' with Gaius had ended abruptly…he was so distracted all the time and Ellen had left unsatisfied. If she could get her hooks into Lee Adama…she'd have no need for the good, but odd, doctor.

Lee held back a sigh. "I'm on my way to pull Starbuck out of her office and into the Sim Room." He patted his pocket with the discs inside. "Her office is just across the corridor, there." He nodded his head in the direction because she still had her arm wrapped around his. He made another attempt to free himself from her grip.

Ellen narrowed her eyes for a moment. "Oh…Starbuck…Lt. Thrace." Saul had mentioned that there was some sort of problem with them that he'd had to be involved in…something about relaxed regulations. "Did everything work out okay for you two?" Not that she cared, but you never know what information might be useful.

Lee was starting to get frustrated. He couldn't shake the woman hanging onto him and he was just a few steps away from his goal. "It did. Thanks for asking." He started moving toward Kara's office, Ellen still attached to his arm. He stopped. "Ellen. I really do need to get these new sims tested." Could the woman take a hint?

Ellen thought fast. "And you're going to do that in that new Sim Room you had constructed?" She dropped her arm away from his and moved to stand in front of him. "I'd love to see how that turned out." Alone in a darkened room with a prime physical specimen like Lee…her stomach fluttered at the thought alone.

Frak it all, was Lee's line of thinking. "I'd be happy to show you…some other time." He watched her face fall. He'd be making sure some other unsuspecting male did that little tour. "Unfortunately, I have a shift in CIC later and this is the only time Lt. Thrace and I will have to run these sims." He walked around her and put his hand on the hatch release. "You do understand?" Too damn bad if she didn't.

Ellen knew when to cut her losses. "Of course." She nodded at Lee, disappointment clearly evident on her face. "Some other time then." She spun around with a small flounce and clicked her way down the corridor, glancing at the door she'd just exited, thinking maybe she'd try again with Gaius. In the end…she continued walking.

Lee waited until she had disappeared from his view, before letting out the relieved sigh he'd been holding in. He knocked briefly then spun the release and pushed open the door as Kara called out 'Enter' then he walked through the hatch with a smile on his face.

Kara looked up from the fitness reports she was working on ready to bark at the person who dared to interrupt her review of them. Instead her face split with a huge grin when she saw who it was. "Come to spring me from misery?" She shoved the reports in a folder and tossed it on her never-ending stack of stuff that needed to be filed.

Lee made his way to her desk and propped his hip on it. "Maybe." He grinned down at her. "Do I get a greeting first?" He leaned down a little and waited for her to meet him halfway.

He was way too happy, thought Kara as she lifted her head to kiss him. When his hands caught her face, pulling her deeper into the kiss, she knew it was something good. She kissed him back with fervor, willing to wait for the payoff.

Lee slipped his tongue into Kara's mouth, sliding his hands down to her shoulders to pull her upright. He moved one hand up to cup her face and the other sought the discs hidden in his pocket. Once retrieved, he sat them on her desk then broke the kiss.

Kara took a deep breath to recover from the surprise onslaught of passion coursing through her. She glanced down and noticed the discs. "Is that what I think it is?" It better be what she thought it was.

Lee rocked back on his heels, feeling very proud of himself. "Surprise." He snatched one of the discs while she grabbed the other one. "Wanna go test 'em?" He flicked the disc in hand back and forth as if he needed to entice her. They both knew he didn't.

Kara held onto the one she'd picked up and shoved her chair up against the desk. "I thought you'd never ask." She rounded the desk and caught Lee, as he was getting ready to hit the hatch. "Have I told you lately how much I love you?" She really needed to do that more often.

Lee cocked his head to the side and thought about that for a moment. "Hmm…not in the last twelve or so hours." He dropped a kiss that was meant for the tip of her nose, but landed on her lips instead since she tilted her head back for just that purpose.

Before the kiss really heated up, Lee pulled back and whispered. "Kara, why don't you follow me?" He grinned at her sharp intake of breath as his intentions became crystal clear to her.

Kara's whole body went hot. "Damn, Lee. I didn't think you remembered." She grabbed his arm and pulled him through the hatch. "Fly first…or frak first?" She knew they would fly first…for them it was foreplay, but walked the few steps to the Sim Room backwards so she could watch him struggle to say it.

Lee stuck the tip of his tongue out like he was pondering her question. "We're gonna fly…" They'd reached the Sim Room and as Kara pushed the door open, he added with his voice pitched low. "…It's been too long since I've had you in the air." His words had the desired effect…she stumbled over the threshold going into the room.

Oh…he was going to pay for that. Too long since he's had her in the air? "Really?" Kara walked over the console and slid the disc inside, setting the program for a delayed start. She was going to show him. "You're gonna have to catch me first." With that, she hopped into the first Viper and pulled on the helmet.

Lee had to scramble to get into the second one and barely got his helmet set before the sim started. He heard Kara's hoot of laughter as she shot forward and started dancing around the Raiders. He gave her the lead and just watched as she dipped in and out, spun around, and flipped end over end picking off targets as she went along. She was awe inspiring inside a cockpit and Lee loved her all the more for it.

He slid in behind her in the sim run then dipped down below and shot out ahead. She had to recover from her prior antics and it gave him an advantage. He chuckled at her muttered 'Frak' and started his own smooth end run on the Raiders. After taking out four, he almost got tagged but Kara had his back and she downed the bogey before it fired the kill shot.

Lee grinned. "Thanks for the save." He waited for her to form up on him and they flew side by side and took out the last remaining Raiders.

Effectively ending that program, Lee popped off his helmet and hopped out to cue up the second sim. As he was settling in for the next run he couldn't resist teasing. "I'd say you were good and caught that time." He knew she'd pick up the challenge and couldn't wait to see what she'd come up with.

Kara would give him that one, but not the next. "Don't expect it to happen again." She fired her thrusters and took off making a wide arc around the group of Raiders on the screen.

She drew four of them off with her, setting Lee up to make the shots. He took all four of them out and she laughed joyously. Dipping under the remaining eight, she popped back up and downed two Raiders on her own. Still leading the sim, she banked left and ended up having an additional two Raiders on her six. Lee downed a third that was trying to follow, and then focused on the ones going after Kara. As he took them out, Kara had time to flip end over end and she tagged another one.

The final two Raiders formed up and made a direct run at her, she fired off a round of shots and hit one but they both exploded. Kara was freaked. She should have been hit by at least one of them, but Lee had come up from beneath her and shot at the exact moment she did. It was an amazing feat of flying. She pulled off her helmet and sat there in stunned silence.

Lee jumped out of the Viper and walked over to Kara. He stepped up and braced his arms on the edge of the cockpit area. "I didn't catch you that time." But he did save her ass and he could tell he'd shocked her.

Kara blinked and focused on him. She wanted him. Right frakking now. She grabbed his face, catching him off guard and melded her lips to his. Standing and pulling him up to her at the same time, she mumbled between nipping kisses. "That was some piece of flying." She practically dragged him into the cockpit with her, working buttons loose on his shirt as she did.

They did an awkward dance as kisses were shared and clothing discarded and when they were finally skin to skin, Kara pushed Lee down in the seat. Then pulling his hips and legs forward between hers, she slid up his thighs, working her knees around his hips. Lifting herself up, she slowly sank down over his cock with a groan. She was already primed from the flying and had a gut feeling she wouldn't last long. Grabbing the sides of the Viper for leverage, she leaned back and began to work her hips over his.

Lee slid his hands around her hips and held on. Never in his life had experienced anything like this. "Frak, Kara." She was making a series of short bumps against him. "Where the hell…ah gods…did you learn…frraakkk…to do this?" He sucked in a breath on a gasp. She was pushing him to the edge of reason.

Kara almost giggled but couldn't due to the heat coursing through her. "First for me." She felt Lee's hands grasp her hips and hold them in place, her nerve endings screaming as he thrust up inside her. "You…oh frak…you bring out…ah gods, Lee…my creative side." Her declaration ended on a moan as she spiraled closer to the brink.

Working in tandem they pushed each other's limits. Kara rocking her hips to meet Lee's thrusts. No more words were spoken, but they were communicating on the most elemental level. The only sound at all was the sharp intake and harsh exhale of breaths coming faster and deeper as they careened toward their release.

Kara felt the pull of pleasure low in her belly, holding it off as long as she could so she could savor the intensity of her orgasm. She met Lee's hips and rocked hard against them, finally succumbing to the waves of passion that washed over her. She sat forward and caught Lee's lips in a forceful kiss as she rode the peaks and crests to completion all the while urging him with her mouth to unleash his control and join her.

She felt the change come over him as he slid his hands under her and thrust upward with rapid-fire strokes. Driving deep, he stiffened against her breaking the kiss as his head twisted away on a long groan. As his control shattered he came hard, hoarsely calling her name. Utterly sated, his hands drew her down to him, holding her close as he lightly stroked his fingers down her back.

When she finally lifted her head she locked her gaze with his as she slid backwards to a more comfortable position. It never ceased to amaze her how completely in tune they were. They'd seen little of each other lately, yet when they came together it was like wearing your most comfortable clothes. They just fit…in all the right ways.

Still sitting on his lap, Kara leaned over the side of the simulator and began gathering up the clothes she could reach. While separating hers from his, she commented. "It never stops with us, does it?" She stood up and pulled her shirt over her head.

Lee maneuvered around her and climbed out of the Viper before answering. "Nope." He quirked an eyebrow and started pulling on his own clothes. "You didn't think it would, did you?" He watched her finish dressing before she too, climbed down from the simulator and stood in front of him.

Grasping his hips, she tugged him toward her resting her head on his shoulder. "I didn't think at all." She lifted her eyes, her expression serious. "I'm not exactly great at this relationship stuff." A rueful smile played around her mouth.

Lee chuckled. "And I am?" He sat on the step bringing her down on his lap. "We're Viper pilots, Kara. Love doesn't usually factor in for us until we're out of the air." Watching her nod in agreement, he continued. "We're breaking all the rules by being together…especially during a time of war." He shifted her around so she was straddling him getting ready to continue but paused when she put two fingers up to his lips.

Kara finished his train of thought. "Because you expect to die each time you go out…I know, Lee." She rested her forehead against his and whispered. "I'll bet they never considered an 'end of humanity' endgame when they preached that." She let herself be drawn into his embrace as his arms wrapped around her. Sometimes the reality of who and what they were now hit her full-force.

She was extremely glad she'd found something to hold onto…regardless of what was drummed into her head from the time she started at the academy.

Lee agreed with her. "I'll bet they didn't." He eased her gently off his lap and smoothly brought them to their feet. Keeping hold of her hands, he faced her and continued. "Who would? No one could have imagined the situation we're in right now." Brushing his lips over hers, he let go of her hands and walked to the console to retrieve the discs.

His words sparked an image in Kara's mind and she chuckled. "Yeah…can you imagine a roomful of military bigwigs running random scenarios involving the end of the human race?" She was picturing a big table surrounded by admirals, generals and their minions. "My guess is that none of them would have been able to wrap their brains around it. How could they unless they were actually living it?" She strode to the hatch and waited for Lee to shut everything down.

As he flipped off switches and killed the lights, Lee picked up on her beginning. "And none of them would have a clue of how to deal with an entire civilian fleet." He ducked through the hatch as Kara held the door open, asking. "Back to the office?" He turned to hear her answer.

Kara nodded. "Yep. Those fitness reports are screaming my name." She pulled the hatch closed and locked it behind them.

Lee followed her to the entrance of the office. "I'm heading down to the hangar bay to give the Chief some feedback on these sims…then it's off for a shift in CIC." He stopped when she opened the door. "Later?" When she nodded he leaned in and kissed her soundly. When he drew back he said. "I love you." And when her eyes lit up, he promised he was going to tell her that more often.

Kara grinned back at him. "Back at ya." She stepped over the threshold into the office. "Now get out of here so I start ripping apart those fitness reports." His laughter rang out as she shut the door.

FIN


	10. Chapter 10

Originally posted: March 17, 2006

PART 10

A week later, Lee was leaving Kara's office after dropping off flight schedules that paired up nuggets with seasoned pilots. The recruits would get their first test runs in the next two weeks. Pulling the door closed behind him, he started down the corridor when he felt a hand clasp his shoulder.

Ellen Tigh was on her way for another visit with Dr. Baltar when she spied Lee leaving Kara's office. Her lips curved up in a predatory smile. The good doctor could wait…she was determined to get Lee Adama alone and didn't plan on taking no for an answer this time.

Ellen slid her hand down Lee's arm suggestively. "Lee…how are you?" When she stopped walking, courtesy forced him to stop also.

Lee closed his eyes. "Ellen." He didn't want to deal with her today. "I'm great. And you?" Maybe if he looked like he didn't have time for her, she'd take the hint this time. Niceties out of the way, he started to take a step forward.

Ellen could tell she'd have to move quickly. Grasping his hand, she tugged him toward the Sim Room. "I'd really like that tour today, Lee." She stopped in front of the door. "Please. I'm interested in understanding how you put this all together." She waited to see how this would play out.

Lee knew she'd keep pestering him until he finally caved. After a brief hesitation, he nodded. "Sure. But I warn you…you'll be bored within five minutes." He pushed the hatch open then held out his hand to steady her as she stepped over the threshold.

Ellen smiled, having him right where she wanted him. She might be bored with the tour in five minutes, but that's not what she was truly after. He'd be lucky if she gave him five minutes before she made her move. Stepping into the room, she pulled Lee in behind her and closed the hatch.

Gaius Baltar watched the two people enter the Sim Room with narrowed eyes. He'd been expecting Ellen and when she didn't show up at the designated time, he'd ventured out of the lab to see what was keeping her. Apparently Lee Adama was drawing her attention. He felt a twinge of jealousy regarding the Captain. Not only was the fascinating Lieutenant Thrace enthralled with him, the good captain now had Ellen Tigh panting after him.

His own conquest of Ellen had been an easy feat. She practically fell into bed with him when he'd turned on the charm. She was a delightful diversion from the mundane tasks he was expected to perform. He wasn't pleased that she was sniffing after the rugged pilot and ship's CAG.

He glanced across the corridor to the closed door of Lt. Thrace's office. A tiny smiled formed on his lips. Maybe he'd let it slip to the lovely flight instructor where her good Captain was and who he was with. With a calculating gleam in his eye, he strolled over and knocked on the hatch, completely ignoring the buzz in his ear from his constant companion.

Kara started at the intrusion, but assumed Lee had forgotten something so she called out "Enter." When Gaius Baltar strode in, she was less than thrilled to see him. Buried in flight schedules and reports, she didn't have time for his odd form of conversation. It always felt like there was someone else he was talking to besides her. Heaving a sigh, she asked, "What can I do for you today, doc?" Whatever it takes to get you out of here…quickly.

If she only knew the things he wanted her to do for him. "Do for me?" Shoving his hands in the pockets of his lab coat he continued, "Why nothing, Lieutenant. I just popped in for a chat." Lifting his hand, he brushed the hair at his ear back, as if shooing something away. His blonde friend was being irritating again.

Great, Kara thought, his brand of weird was just what she needed. Dismissively she stated. "I won't have long to 'chat'." Not that she'd want to anyway. "Lee should be back soon with the reports from CIC." It was a blatant lie; she wasn't expecting Lee to return at all. That's why she was startled at the knock earlier.

Baltar gave Kara a clueless look. "Oh, you mean Captain Adama?" His lips sneered slightly. "I just saw him enter the Sim Room with the lovely Mrs. Tigh." He was triumphant. The gorgeous lieutenant should go off any second now. Her volatile temper was well documented on the Galactica.

Kara just stared at the supposed genius of the fleet for a second then burst out laughing. Poor Lee. If Kara knew Ellen Tigh, he didn't stand a chance once she got him alone. He'd put up a valiant effort though. She caught Baltar's look of disbelief and sobered. She mistakenly assumed that the good doctor was miffed that his afternoon diversion was occupied elsewhere today. She wouldn't be for long.

She grabbed up her files and scooped her keys off the desk. "Well, it's been great 'chatting' with you, Doc." She herded him toward the door. He seemed disappointed that she wasn't freaking out, but she didn't have time to explain things to him. "I appreciate the heads up on Lee's whereabouts." She let him precede her out of the office, closing the door behind her and locking it.

As he stood there making indignant sounds, Kara just tossed over her shoulder. "Gotta run, Doc. Thanks again." She needed to find Colonel Tigh right frakking now if Lee had a chance of escaping Ellen's clutches unscathed. She couldn't believe what she was considering…but it was the single best way to give Ellen her just desserts.

Baltar watched Kara briskly walk down the corridor. A voice behind him said. "That didn't go quite as you had planned, did it, Gaius?" He didn't turn. He knew she was back there, mocking him. He stripped off his white jacket and tossed it in the lab. A bottle of ambrosia sounded good at the moment.

Lee had reluctantly given Ellen the nickel tour of the Sim Room and all its trappings. When she'd asked to see inside one of the Viper simulators, he didn't have a choice but to grasp the hand she held out and assist her up the single step so she could peer inside the 'fascinating' cockpit. She asked him to show her how the controls worked and followed him around as he demonstrated and explained with the barest amount of detail possible.

He was in the process of shutting down the screens that showed the sims when Ellen made her move. Backing him up against the counter, she pressed herself against him. "Thank you so much for the tour, Lee." She started undoing the top buttons of his uniform as she continued. "It was all very fascinating…" She wet her lips with the tip of her tongue in an attempt to be seductive. "…And I'd like to thank you, um…" She lifted her eyes to his and held his gaze. "Personally." She stopped unbuttoning his shirt and ran her hands down the front of his uniform going dangerously low.

Lee grabbed her hands before they reached their destination somewhere in the vicinity of his crotch. "That's not necessary." He pulled her grasping fingers away from his shirt and turned away from her, flipping the final switch that shut the program simulator down. "Really." It was all he could do to hold back a shudder at the thought of her hands on him.

Ellen wasn't going to give up without a fight. Shaking her shoulders so the straps of her dress slid down, she sidled up behind Lee and started macking on his neck pushing her breasts against his back while sliding her arms around him. She was making it crystal clear that she wanted him and planned on having him.

Lee heaved another sigh and tried to extricate himself from her clutches. "Ellen, please." Lee turned to make his escape, but she had him trapped against the counter. When he made the turn she wouldn't back up and he ended up sitting on the counter to keep his balance.

Ellen used the opportunity to wedge herself between his legs. "Lee…" Sliding her hands up to his head, she drew him toward her. "Why fight this?" She tried to kiss him but he resisted and ended up smacking his head on the console behind them.

Lee grunted at the sharp pain. He grabbed Ellen's hands and pushed them away from him as she tried to drape herself over him. "Ellen, please." Lee was on the verge of physically shoving her away from him. "Enough. You need to back off." He tried again to move off the counter but she wasn't budging an inch…she was practically climbing on top of him even while he held her wrists away from his body.

In Ellen's mind, she was so close to having what she had wanted for a long time. "Lee…it would be so good between us." She pushed on. "I can make you feel things you've never felt before." She all but purred the words and got close enough to run her tongue down the side of his neck. When he shuddered, she took it as a sign he was close to giving in. She couldn't have been more wrong.

Fighting his revulsion Lee tossed a silent prayer to the gods that a Cylon attack…anything…would happen in the next five seconds or he wasn't going to be held accountable for his actions. "I don't think so, Ellen." He finally got her pushed back far enough that he could get his legs closed. She was back on top of him before he could make it to a standing position. "I don't like to share." He scored a point with that one. Looking down his nose, he continued. "From what I hear, you make a lot of guys feel things they've never felt before." The ringing sting of her hand slapping his face drowned out the sound of the hatch being opened.

They both turned at the sharp, "ELLEN!!" that came from the hatchway. Colonel Tigh stepped into the Sim Room with Kara right on his heels. The scene that greeted him was nothing he hadn't seen before…Ellen in semi-disarray standing next to some Colonial Fleet officer or enlisted crewmember. To say he was disappointed was an understatement.

Ellen caught the look on her husband's face and made a stab at salvaging her already tattered marriage. "Saul, thank the gods." She dashed to his side and put her head on his shoulder. She'd had him thinking that the end of the world had made her mend her ways. Damn Lee Adama for being such a prime specimen of man. She worked up tears and looked at her husband. "I tried to resist him, Saul. I really did." She glanced over her shoulder to witness Lee calmly button the top buttons of his uniform. Before he could contradict her, she added. "He made the first move, Saul. I swear to the gods, he did." Ellen buried her face in his shoulder again and made her shoulders shake as if utterly devastated.

Kara noted the controlled anger in Lee's face. She hadn't thought past her ruse to get the Colonel to the Sim Room. If she had, she would have realized how pissed Lee would be to be put in yet another compromising position in front of Tigh. There was nothing for it…she jumped in with both feet.

She grabbed Ellen and physically pulled her away from the Colonel. "Listen, you sniping old bat." She tightened her grip on Ellen's arm. "Don't even try that crap." She gave her a warning look when Ellen started to open her mouth. "I've seen you skulking around C-level a lot lately. Care to explain that one?" She let go of Ellen's arm with a little shove that sent her staggering back into her husband.

Tigh put his hands on Ellen's shoulders to steady her but immediately removed them after doing so. He was sadly disappointed and not just a little angry. "Fix yourself up, woman." He looked at Lee and Kara and nodded to the hatch. They stepped out with him and he closed the door behind them.

He was quiet with fury when he ordered Lee to cover his shift in CIC. Kara opened her mouth to protest, but a look from Lee silenced her. Tigh needed a moment of dignity in this mess. Kara turned on her heel and stalked off.

Before Lee left to cover his shift, Tigh stopped him. "You should be advised that it's never a good idea to be alone with Ellen by choice." He scowled indicating he was finished.

Lee gave him a cold look then bit out. "I wasn't with her by choice, Colonel." He glanced at the hatch as it popped open. "Maybe you should keep her on a shorter leash." He watched Tigh flinch but couldn't muster up any sympathy. Stopping Kara from voicing her opinion was as far as it went. He turned and left without another word, a bad taste in his mouth from the whole sad situation.

Ellen peeked around the hatch to make sure Saul was alone. Squaring her shoulders, she exited and slinked over to him. She was all wound up and she'd heard him tell Lee to cover his shift in CIC. Maybe they could go back to their quarters and she could find some relief with her husband. "You're off shift then?" She reached up and grasped his upper arm. "Would you like to head back to our quarters? I rarely have you to myself these days." Running her hand down his sleeve, she jumped when he grabbed her wrist forcefully and flung her hand away from him.

Saul was beyond disgusted with her. He knew what she did and usually whom she did it with. Normally it didn't faze him. It was who she was. But Lee Adama. Damn her. He was the old man's son. Did the woman have no idea what Bill thought of her and in reflection, him?

Grasping her hand, none too gently, he started in the direction of their quarters. "You've gone too far this time, Ellen." His voice hissed against her ear. "The old man isn't going to stand for this." As his words sank in, he shook his head. Gods help him but he loved her. He would have to find some way to keep Adama out of it. They walked along the corridor in silence, Ellen fully chastised and wondering what her future was going to be like; Saul trying to figure out a way to keep the old man from throwing them both off the ship. It was going to be a long night for both of them.

His shift covering for the Colonel over, Lee walked into his quarters still suffering the effects of dealing with the grasping Ellen. His could literally feel her touch and it was creeping him out. He looked around the living space for Kara but she was nowhere to be found. Walking through the doorway to the bedroom, he grinned as she poked her head out of the bath steam billowing out around her face.

Kara knew what Lee would be feeling. "Hey. Strip. Now." She crooked her finger at him. "Then come here. Water's perfect." She stepped back and shut the door.

Lee stripped off his clothes quickly, thinking Kara was a genius. She just knew. Knew that he would be feeling all kinds of disgusting. He tossed his clothes on the laundry pile, briefly considering just chucking them in the trash. They didn't have that many resources so there was nothing for it but to clean them. Maybe he'd ask to have them sterilized. He grinned at his thoughts. He was being ridiculous.

He slid the door back enough to ease into the shower. Kara was standing under the water waiting and when he got the door closed he didn't waste any time. He walked the two steps it took to reach her, grabbed her up in his arms, leaned her against the wall and crushed her lips with his thoroughly kissing her until she moaned.

Letting her go, he asked. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?" He felt her hands press against his chest.

Kara pushed Lee under the spray of water. "About as much as I love you." Grabbing the washcloth, she started soaping it up. "After you're clean that is." She tossed the washcloth to Lee and grabbed another one.

Lee started at the top of his head briskly scrubbing his face and shoulders. "Gods, Kara…that woman is a menace." He worked his way down his shoulders and arms, while Kara started in behind him.

Running the soapy washcloth over the smooth skin of Lee's back, Kara commented. "That woman's lucky she's still breathing." Reaching his ass, she ran her hands over the sculpted curve then followed with the sudsy cloth.

As Lee scrubbed down his chest, Kara walked around him and started on his stomach. "Maybe we'll get lucky and Tigh'll shove her out an airlock" Kara worked the washcloth down his abdomen and inched ever closer to his shaft. Lee was now having trouble concentrating. He sucked in a breath. His washcloth hit the floor. "Kara…" His voice was a combination of question and warning.

Kara grinned as she ran the washcloth all around his cock. "Just making sure the evil bitch didn't do any damage." Glancing down at his reaction, she added slyly. "I think everything is still in working order." She gasped and dropped her washcloth when she was pulled into Lee's arms.

Ducking them both under the water, Lee lifted her up against his chest sliding his hands down to cup her hips against his. Letting the water rinse away the suds, he told her. "I think I'm clean now." As her arms went around his neck and her legs around his waist, Lee tilted her head down and captured her lips in another kiss. Using his tongue he traced the inside of her mouth, branding it. He deepened the kiss and felt Kara melt against him.

Kara reached behind them and turned the water off as she lifted her head, gazing at him with dazed eyes. "Um. Right. Clean." She melded her lips back to his and rubbed herself against his erection causing them both to groan. Kara muttered between the next kiss, "Bed…um…now." She went back to the kissing knowing Lee would be as hot and ready as she was.

Lee didn't even wait until he had the door of the shower opened. Not breaking the kiss, he lifted Kara with his hands and thrust up inside her then he slid the door back and carried her to the bed. Sitting on the edge, he brought his hands up and shoved his fingers through the wet strands of her hair then leaned backwards drawing her down with him. As she unwrapped her legs from around his waist, her hips shifted and he broke the kiss with a gasp. Damn she felt good clenched around him.

Kara pushed herself up and planted her hands on Lee's chest. She slowly moved her hips over his tightening herself around his cock watching the pleasure play over his face. She leaned down and kissed his shoulder, gently nipping it with her teeth. Feeling him thrust against her, she moved and repeated it on the other side. His hips pumped again. She smiled and moved her lips to his neck, kissing it then sucking the smooth skin between her lips. When she released it, her teeth grated lightly against the corded muscle eliciting a harsh groan from him.

Lee's hands reached down and cupped Kara's ass, holding her against him as he thrust inside her. Her lips and teeth against his skin were making him insane with the need for release. "Gods, Kara." He moved a hand up her the still damp skin of her back, over her shoulders and up her neck. Cupping the back of her head he tilted it down saying, "Gods," again before moving his lips over her face. He felt her hips move faster to meet his thrusts.

Kara met Lee's lips in a heated kiss as she moved back and forth over his shaft. She could feel the heat start to emanate from where they were joined as it traveled outward to her limbs. Breaking the kiss, she sat up and grabbed his hands. With their fingers entwined and palms together, Kara pushed against Lee's stiffened arms, which let her ride him slowly and intensely with a deep grinding motion.

Gazes locked, their hips met with increasing frequency. Both were breathing heavily, pushing against each other's hands as they edged closer to release. Lee held his hips still as Kara made a series of short, rapid moves back and forth over him until they both crashed over the edge. Shuddering alongside each other the pleasurable feeling flowed between and around them washing them in contentment.

Kara collapsed against Lee's chest and felt his arms go around her. She breathed deeply, trying to get her heart rate under control while his fingers trailed absently over her skin. She felt his breathing return to some semblance of normalcy and she lifted her head to look down at him.

Lee pushed his head back into the mattress so he could see her better. "What?" Her expression was questioning.

Kara propped herself up on her elbow. "No towels?" She made a sweeping motion with her hand over the bed.

Lee sat up and noticed the darkened areas on the coverlet from two wet, damp bodies. He shrugged his shoulders, for once not caring. "Your point?" He lay back down and pulled her against him.

Kara smacked his chest. "My point is you're remaking the bed." She giggled when his fingers found the ticklish spot along her ribs. "Uh uh. My work here is done." She pulled away from him and rolled off the bed to her feet.

Lee pushed himself up. "What work?" He slid to the end of the bed and sat watching her pad across the room to pull clothes from the locker.

Kara bent over and started dressing. "To make you forget the attempted seduction by Ellen Tigh." She winked at him. "I'd say I accomplished my goal." She was pulling up her fatigues when she was grabbed from behind making her laugh.

Lee picked her up and turned her toward him. "Is that right?" He walked back to the bed and dropped her on it. "Well, you just did a fine job of reminding me about it." As she scooted to the top of the bed, laughing, he crawled up on the mattress and made his way slowly up to her. "What's the plan now?"

Kara didn't even fight it. She pulled him on top of her and kissed him long and deep. He had her pants undone and was trying to work them down when she broke the kiss saying, "It's your turn to plan this time." Lifting her hips she smirked at him. "Think you can manage something on short notice?"

FIN


	11. Chapter 11

Originally posted: March 25, 2006

PART 11

The comm unit buzzed, startling Lee awake. As he untangled himself from Kara, he glanced at his watch…0500. Frak. He wasn't due on CAP until 0800; Kara wasn't scheduled for class until 0900. Whoever was calling better have a damn good reason to wake him two hours earlier than necessary.

Reaching over Kara, he grabbed the handset from the comm. "Yeah. Captain Adama." Flopping back on the bed, he tried to wake up so he could focus on the caller. Having Kara snuggled up against him, still sleeping, didn't help. Dropping his hand to her head, he brushed some golden strands away from her face while his eyes started to flutter closed.

From the other end of the phone he heard. "Captain." The clipped tone of his father's voice unmistakable. "Early call…sorry."

Lee's eyes shot open and he was wide-awake. "Dad…sir." He extracted himself gently from Kara's side and sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "What's up?" Yawning then blinking a couple of times, he tried to clear the remnants of sleep from his eyes.

The commander replied. "We need you and Starbuck to report to the Briefing Room." He exhaled on a sigh. "0530." He paused for a moment and Lee sensed more was coming. "And Lee, it's an urgent matter." Adama had his son's full attention now.

Rubbing his hand over his eyes, Lee stopped himself from asking questions. "Yeah, okay. 0530." He bit back another yawn and continued. "We'll be there." Hanging up the handset, he gently shook Kara's shoulder. "Kara, hey. Wake up." He grinned when her arms snaked up around his neck and pulled him down to her.

As she drew his head close she grumbled. "If the ship's not under attack…you better have a damn good reason for waking me up at this frakked up hour." She didn't even open her eyes to see what time it was; she just knew it was early.

Lee knew she wasn't a morning person on a good day, but there was no help for it. "Ship's not under attack." He kissed the tip of her nose. "But we've been summoned to the Briefing Room." Smoothing the hair back from her face, he added. "Commander says it's urgent…we have to be there in 30 minutes." He tugged on her arm and smiled when she mumbled something about wishing death on the commander. Lee knew she wasn't serious and once he had her off the bed, he pushed her toward the bath. "Shower. Now." He grabbed a towel and tossed it in with her then closed the door.

He pulled clothes from his locker and dressed in silence wondering what would be so urgent that it couldn't wait until after his shift on CAP. Grabbing fresh clothes for Kara, he stood by the door and waited until he heard the shower stop ready to hand them over when she walked out.

Kara opened the door to see a freshly dressed Lee holding out her clothes. It truly irritated her that he had it together in the mornings. "You plan on dressing me, too?" She snapped as she snagged the clothes from him. "Everything color coordinated and matched up to your satisfaction?" She started jamming her feet into the sweats he'd grabbed while she glared over at him.

Lee just rolled his eyes. "So…I get Snarky Starbuck today." He threw some socks on the bed for her then turned to leave the room. "I'll make coffee…you're gonna need it." Lords help the rest of the ship if whatever they were needed for turned out to not be something big.

As he set the coffee to perk, he grinned. He wouldn't have her any other way. Schooling his features as he re-entered the bedroom, he walked into the small bath and splashed cold water on his face and head. By the time he was done brushing his teeth and taming his sleep-mussed hair into something resembling normal Kara had made her way to the coffee and poured them both a large cup.

Capping the steaming oversize mugs with their lids, she handed one to Lee then smirked. "You forgot the hair-tie." Snagging one off the shelf she scraped her hair back with her fingers and wound the band around it. Then she grabbed Lee's shirt and pulled him into a lingering kiss. "Why do you put up with me?" She couldn't wait for his answer this time…they had a running joke about her grouchiness in the morning and his compulsive need to straighten things when he got overly tired. She scooped up her coffee and headed for the door.

Lee pondered for a moment then stated. "The fringe benefits more than make up for your general, all around bitchiness in the mornings." He ducked as he went out the hatch to miss her half-hearted swing.

Kara fell into step beside him. "So…any clue what this is about?" She drank a large gulp of coffee down and prayed the caffeine kicked in before they got to the briefing room. "What the hell could be so urgent at five-thirty in the morning?" Her curiosity was at war with her hatred of all things morning.

As they crossed the deserted hangar deck, Lee wondered the same thing. "No details, yet. But it's got to be something major." His dad had sounded worried but not frantic. "We'll just have to wait until we get there." Considering the weird hour for the briefing, it wouldn't take them long.

Lee and Kara made it to the Briefing Room first and were talking quietly when Adama and Colonel Tigh walked in. Although they were dressed casually, both stood at attention until a glance from the Commander put them at ease. Moving to stand at the planning table the four of them got right down to business.

Adama gave his two top pilots a warm look before getting started, but he jumped right in. "We've got a situation and I need input from both of you." Glancing over at Tigh, he noticed his uniform wasn't buttoned correctly and his heart sank a little. He chose to continue, rather than draw attention to his XO. "I'll give you the general details, then the Colonel will take over." Laying some star charts on the table, he waited for Kara to hit the panel light that illuminated the sheets. "At 0130 the Colonel was hailed by a ship identifying itself as the Redeemer. A small civilian transport claiming to have survivors from Caprica on it." He let that piece of information sink in a moment. "They've asked to join the fleet…right now they're within jump range. Communications are being conducted via two Raptors that have them in isolation." Adama glanced at Tigh again. "Colonel Tigh'll take over with the rest of the details." With that, the commander stepped back and turned the floor over to his XO.

The Colonel was still smarting from his previous encounter with the two pilots a couple of days ago. Being humiliated by Ellen was nothing new, but having her go after the son of his best friend was almost more than he could take. He'd been hitting the sauce pretty heavily since then and in truth wasn't sure he was up for planning this operation. But Adama had asked it of him and he was determined to have something working in his life for a change.

Tigh stepped up to the table, and added a couple of overlays to the charts. "Here's what we know. The incoming transmission was supposedly placed by a Colonial officer with Colonial codes." He was moving on to the next point, but was interrupted.

"Who?" Kara asked. "Who's this supposed officer? Is it someone we know?" That could put a new light on the situation.

Tigh glowered at her. "Doesn't matter who it is, right now. They could be compromised and it doesn't affect the mission." He moved on to his next point. "The Redeemer will hold up to 50 passengers, but is claiming only 20 or so on board. Scans have come back negative for radiation but we have no idea what kind of shape these people are in." The Colonel paused as Lee and Kara both jotted down notes.

When they finished, he picked back up. "The contact also mentioned that the ship is dangerously low on supplies and reported some injured passengers. We have no way of verifying that information at this time." He moved around the table and pointed at a mock up of the Redeemer. "This ship has a single point of entry and that's the one we'll have to use to gain access…unless we try a soft seal somewhere else." He paused again as the pilots continued to scribble out notes.

Taking a sip from his cup, coffee laced with the Chief's Brew, he moved forward. "We have to assume this could be a trap. The Cylons would know that we'd be hard-pressed to turn away any survivors from the Colonies. The question that needs to be asked is…how have they survived on their own this long and how did they find us?" He sat his mug down and gathered up the overlays and sat them off to the side, looking at the couple that witnessed his humiliation not long ago.

With the beginnings of a headache creeping up on him, he presented his mission plan. "We're going to send another Raptor out with a full med team on board, along with Apollo on point. You'll board under the guise of treating the injured and making sure everyone aboard will clear quarantine…then you'll verify the situation and gather intel." He started to continue, but was interrupted by Kara.

"That makes sense. We'll board and while the med team does their bit, Apollo and I can collect information from the passengers under the ruse that we need it for the quarantine period." She was jotting down the questions they should ask when the Colonel put a big hole in her plan.

Tigh gazed at both pilots. He knew it wasn't rational but he blamed both of them for Ellen's recent behavior and his subsequent humiliation. It was within his authority to pick the team members and he was going to do just that. Kara Thrace wasn't going to be one of the team members. He was separating the two of them for this mission…whether it made actual sense or not. It was something he could control and he was going to do just that.

The Colonel just raised his eyebrows, before saying. "You won't be asking anyone questions, Lieutenant." At her confused look, he continued. "You're not going on this mission."

Kara stared in open-mouthed shock. "I'm sorry. Did you just say I'm not going on this mission?" She slowly laid her pen down and crossed her arms over her chest. "Why the hell not?" She glanced at Lee and he didn't look any happier than she did.

Lee narrowed his eyes at the Colonel. He didn't look like he was completely with them…he looked a little drunk. "Colonel…I'd feel better knowing I had Starbuck as back-up." His feeling that this involved more than the mission kicked in full-force when Tigh just waved off his suggestion. Lee glanced at his dad but the commander remained stoic, not meeting his son's eyes.

"You don't need Starbuck as back-up. We'll have two marines mixed in with the med team." Tigh had decided he wasn't going to cave on this one.

Kara was getting pissed at this point. "Then why am I here?" If she wasn't in on the mission…there was no reason she had to be up at this frakkin' hour. She narrowed her eyes…unless it was strictly for Tigh's enjoyment.

The object of her scrutiny stated matter-of-factly, "You'll be senior pilot in Apollo's absence. You'll have to cover his shift and manage the flight schedule." He'd covered all his bases…she didn't really have room to argue…but he could see it wasn't going to stop her.

Kara shook her head and snorted. "That's crap and you know it." She wasn't going to let Lee go on this mission alone. "You need me to go with him…we work better together." She shot a look at Lee to see if he disagreed. When he didn't counter her point, she continued. "If this is a trap…he's going to need someone he can trust to have his back." She glanced at Adama wondering when he was going to step in and take the reins from a clearly incompetent Tigh.

Adama remained silent. He'd given the op the Saul and he was going to back him up. Kara having Lee's back would have been his choice, but he'd wait to see where the colonel was going to go with things before he intervened.

Knowing they weren't going to get support from the Commander, Lee added his opinion. "With all due respect…sir." It pained Lee to call him that when it was clear Tigh wasn't acting as an officer should. "It might be to our advantage to have two officers on board…if things get out of hand one would take point and manage the passengers and the other could control the ship." It was a good suggestion…one he didn't think the Colonel could argue with.

Tigh grunted his acknowledgement. "Fine. But it won't be Starbuck." He shot a withering glance at the lieutenant. "Pick someone else…maybe Hotdog. He'd make a good choice." He picked up his mug again wishing to the gods the briefing would be over already.

Kara's mouth gaped open in shock. "You want to send a nugget on an op of this importance?" He couldn't think that was good idea. "Have you lost your frakkin' mind?" Both Lee and the Commander winced at her question, but she was beyond caring. "You need people who know what they're doing…going into blind situations…" She practically snarled her next statement. "Hotdog has exactly zero experience and he'll get someone killed if it's a trap." The fact that the 'someone' could be Lee had her ready to climb across the table and strangle Tigh.

Tigh growled right back at her. "And if it is a Cylon trap we can't have both our best pilots on the frakkin' rescue op." He watched Kara's mouth snap shut. "If we have Raiders or worse, a basestar jump into range, we'll need at least one of you out there to lead the Alert Vipers." His point was sound and neither could argue with it.

Kara hated that he was right, but she conceded. "Fine. But Lee needs someone with more experience than Hotdog." She looked over at Lee, who didn't argue. "He should take Duck." Duck was level headed and he wouldn't freak if the situation went bad.

Lee nodded. Kara's choice was one he would have made. "Duck's good." He glanced at his father again who also nodded. Giving the Colonel his attention, he asked. "When are we running the op?" He had a flight roster to change and a million other things he would have to pass off to Kara…not to mention briefing the med team, marines and Duck.

The colonel got back down to business. "Op starts at 0600 tomorrow. Pre-flight briefing, 0530." He turned his attention to Kara. "You're dismissed Lieutenant. You won't be needed for anything else." The smug satisfaction he got from the nasty look she sent him almost made his day.

Kara wanted to punch the colonel but she was getting warning looks from both the Adama men. Smiling sweetly, she snapped to attention and tossed off a salute. "Yes sir." Then she spun on her heel with precision and stalked out of the Briefing Room, confident that Lee would fill her in on anything important she might be missing.

Once Kara had cleared the room, Adama stepped back up to the table and Lee knew there was more coming. Something they didn't want her to know about. "There's something else isn't there?" Lee hated surprises and he really hated keeping things from Kara.

His dad glanced at Tigh then over to him. Sighing, he said plainly. "The Colonial Officer that contacted us is a Galactica crewmember." He paused a moment, then added. "Someone Kara was close to…Lt. Karl Agathon…Helo." Adama watched as the repercussions of that fact settled on Lee. "He could be compromised and Starbuck is loyal…she wouldn't believe he could have been turned." He knew his meaning wasn't lost on Lee. "Kara can't find out it's him…she'll do something stupid." He doubted she would, but Tigh was convinced of it, so he let it slide. Sighing, he continued. "Your orders are to not let her know." Again his implication wasn't lost on Lee…he was making it an order to let Lee off the hook when Kara found out.

Frankly, he'd still feel better if she was going to watch his son's back, but his XO was bent on not letting the two of them work the op together. Adama already had a good idea of what, or who was behind Saul's renewed drinking and staunch refusal to use both pilots on the mission. All he needed were some additional details then he'd deal with the problem.

Lee really didn't like the position he'd just been put in, orders or not. He looked at his dad. "Sir…does it have to be this way?" So much for full disclosure, if she'd been pissed about the civilian flight thing, she was gonna be enraged about being kept in the dark on this one.

Tigh answered for the commander. "Damn right it does. She'll go in there half-cocked trying to save her friend and probably get you all killed." It was an exaggeration but Tigh didn't care. She was not going on the mission. Period.

Lee heaved a heavy sigh then nodded. "All right. Kara won't find out who the officer is…not from me." They'd have to keep his identity out of all the briefings or she would find out. She was nothing if not resourceful.

Adama felt for Lee, but he didn't see any other way to keep the op under control. "We've got Helo's flight chart in your mission notes. His picture's in there so you'll know who to look for." He handed a packet over to Lee.

Lee nodded thinking he'd have to lock it in his desk so Kara couldn't get a hold of it. "I know who Helo is. Met him right before the decommissioning ceremony." If he remembered correctly, he was tall…Raptor ECO to Boomer…seemed like a nice guy. "We'll bring him home in one piece." He said it as much for Kara as for the two men standing in the room with him.

The rest of the meeting consisted of setting the final prep details, creating the mission roster and scheduling the various briefings necessary to pull of an operation of this magnitude. By the end all three men were hopefully optimistic that they could add twenty or so new names to the survivor board on Colonial One.

Lee's feet felt like lead as he headed back to quarters. He'd spent the day pulling together the personnel for the op and rearranging the flight schedule. Kara should be home after teaching combat flight tactics all day to the recruits and he still hadn't figured out how he was going to keep the news under wraps that Helo was the Colonial Officer who contacted the Galactica.

He hated keeping stuff from her. Ever since the civilian pilot program he'd tried to tell her things as they happened or when he found out. With the exception of changing the flight schedule that got them embroiled in the nightmare meeting with Jolly, he'd been up front with her on everything. While the officer in him understood the need to keep Kara out of this particular op, the man in him just wanted to let her know someone she was close to may have made it out alive. Stopping in front of the hatch, his hand rested on the release as his head leaned forward and rested on the cold steel of the door for a minute. Letting out a heavy sigh, he straightened, spun the release and entered his quarters.

Kara was sitting at the desk working on fitness reports when Lee walked in. He looked like the weight of the world was pressing in on him. She stood as he crossed over to her and was taken aback when he reached across the desk, cupping her face with his hands, and pulled her into a desperate kiss that made her forget her name.

When Lee released her, she rubbed her fingers over her lips, saying, "I'm not going to like this, am I?" She came around the desk to stand in front of Lee holding his gaze. "Okay. I'm ready." She took a deep breath and squared her shoulders. "Spit it out…" Her heart sank when he gave a quick back and forth shake of his head. "Nothing? You can't say anything about the op?" She moved away from him, crossing to sit down on their seating unit. "It's Tigh, isn't it?" Gods, she hated that man sometimes.

Lee moved to kneel in front of her, but didn't answer her question. Instead he asked one of his own. "Do you trust me, Kara?" Her face lost its scowl and she straightened up from the cushions. "Because I need you to just trust me on this." He grasped her hands in his and continued. "I want you to be on this mission with me…I'm better with you than without you." Not letting go of her hands, he moved up to settle in beside her. "But you can't go and it's not just about Tigh…there's a possibility that you know someone on board…" When she opened her mouth to ask whom, he shook his head. "No Kara. Don't. Please just trust me. I need you to do this for me." He realized that he did need her to have faith that he'd pull this off; he didn't think he'd be able to if her confidence in him wasn't there.

Kara stared at Lee, her need to know what was going on at war with her complete faith in him. She leaned forward answering him with a gentle kiss that told him she trusted him and would be there when he came home. Easing back, she stood and pulled Lee up with her then gently nudged him toward the bedroom lifting his shirt over his head as they went.

Holding her gaze, Lee returned the favor and by the time they tumbled onto the bed both were naked and hot for each other. Their passion intensified by the uncertainty of the mission, they clung together neither giving quarter as their lips and hands moved with swift sureness over each other's bodies as they sought their release.

Never losing contact with her, his lips and hands left no part of Kara untouched as they stroked over her skin leaving burning trails of heat behind. He was determined to make this all about satisfying her because he had to leave her behind. His mouth moved over her flesh, lips hitting, teeth grazing over every sensitive spot she had. He used his well-filed knowledge to pull the most thrilling responses from her. The column of her throat, tips of her breasts, back of her knees, no area was left unexplored. He wanted Kara to know how much her faith and trust mattered to him.

As he worked his way around her body, he came to a stop between her thighs and lowered his head. Using his lips and tongue he teased the slick folds around her clit not touching it until she moaned for more. Finally hitting the spot she craved the most, he swirled his tongue around the nub causing her hips to buck up against him. He flicked over it lightly before using his lips to suck gently working her to a fevered pitch. When he heard her breathing go shallow, he slid his body into position and entered her with a piercing stroke. Feeling her shatter around him, he stroked into her over and over again until his body tensed with anticipation of his own impending release. As Kara came down from her orgasm, she started meeting his thrusts bumping her hips against his. It sent him over the edge and he came buried deep inside her, groaning out her name.

As Lee collapsed against her, she wrapped her arms around him holding him close until he slid out of her. When he shifted to his side then rolled to his back, she twisted around and molded herself to his side dragging her leg up over his. Running her fingers over his chest, she sighed lightly before saying, "Good hunting, Captain." She felt Lee's arms tighten around her and she hugged him back. Then she pressed a kiss to his shoulder and drew the turned down blankets over them. They needed to sleep; he had a mission in the morning and she had a patrol to fly.

FIN


	12. Chapter 12

Originally posted: April 2, 2006

PART 12

As Kara paced the corridor, she spotted the Colonel as he entered the area. She didn't think or hesitate, just stalked over to him, drew back her fist and laid him out. "You son of a bitch." As he crumpled to the floor she snarled at him. "You're lucky he didn't come back dead." Stepping back and shaking her aching hand, she added. "If he dies…you better run. Cause I WILL shoot you." As she backed away to let the medics in to get him, she heard from behind.

"Geez, I'm away for months and nothing changes."

Kara tensed…it couldn't be. As she slowly turned, the voice continued.

"Weren't you were doing this the last time I saw you?"

It had to be him. Kara finished turning to make sure he was really there. "Helo?" She was caught up in a big bear hug and lifted off her feet. "Oh gods…you're alive." Her anger with Tigh dissolved to a manageable level as her feet landed back on the floor.

Stepping back, she got a good look at her friend. He was banged up, his head bandaged and his wrist splinted. He had stitches running over his eyebrow and quite a few abrasions on his face. But he looked damn good to her. She reached out and hugged him again, knowing now that he was the officer who had contacted the Galactica.

Helo held Kara close again and savored being home. There was so much to tell her about Caprica, about Sharon…but it could wait. Right now he had a message to deliver. Setting her back gently, he cupped her chin with his good hand. "He's going to be all right, Kara." The change in her was palpable. She tensed and her expression became angry again.

Flicking a glance at Tigh, Kara asked. "Did you hear something?" She watched as Tigh waved off the medic who was trying to swab his split lip. "They won't tell me anything." As the colonel got up and walked around the corner, Kara's gaze followed him. He'd better pray to the gods that Lee made it through surgery. She wasn't kidding about shooting him.

Waiting until he had her full attention, Helo shook his head back and forth. "I don't know anything you don't. The Captain made me promise to let you know he'd be okay." He didn't add it was right before Lee had passed out. She could wait to find out that piece of information.

Helo took stock of his friend. He never would have guessed she'd fall for another Adama. But if her rigid posture and worried face were any indication, she'd done just that. Hard.

Hoping to take her mind off the waiting, he couldn't resist teasing. "So…Captain Adama?" Giving her an appraising look, he continued. "Never would have bet on that."

Kara laughed for the first time that day. "Oh Helo, you have no idea." At his questioning look, she added. "Trust me. You would have bet on it." As she was getting ready to ask him what went down, she felt a hand grip her shoulder.

Adama had been in the life station since Lee was brought back on board. He'd been on the comm phone checking in with CIC when Kara had knocked Tigh out, so he had no idea what had happened to his XO when he spoke to his two officers. "Starbuck. Helo." A surgical technician had caught up to him as he was replacing the handset and had given him an update on Lee's condition. "Cottle got the bullet. He's repairing some tissue damage and pumping him full of blood." At Kara's relieved sigh, he continued. "He'll be out of surgery in the next couple of hours."

Kara hugged him at the news. "So he's gonna be okay?" She was nearly bouncing. "No permanent damage?" The relief she felt was overwhelming.

Adama shrugged. "We'll know more when Cottle finishes up." Glancing at Helo, he added. "Hold the debrief until Lee's in the clear." At Helo's nod, he turned to leave them to their reunion.

Kara decided she'd better tell him about Tigh. "Uh, sir." She shifted her weight on her feet. "I may have gone a little overboard with my anger." Gods, she hated it when she had to admit things to the commander. "I struck the Colonel. Hard." Leveling her gaze on Adama, she stated. "I'll accept whatever charges he wants to throw at me. No arguments." She stood and waited while Adama perused her.

The commander said quietly. "Why don't you leave the Colonel to me." His eyes went just a little hard. "I wouldn't expect any charges for this one." With a nod to both officers, he turned to go in search of his XO.

It was time for a serious conversation.

He didn't have far to look. Just as he glanced back at Kara to see Helo's head bent toward her as they sat on the floor talking quietly, he ran into Saul who had come to find him. Tigh's face had its usual scowl, but also the markings left behind by Kara's fist. A big bruise was forming on the underside of his swollen jaw and he still had blood in the corner of his split lip, which was also puffy from her punch. Looking into his XO's eyes, Bill wasn't surprised to see them already bloodshot from either drinking all night, or while waiting on the mission to be completed. Sighing and not bothering to hide his disappointment he nodded to a curtained off area. He waited for the Colonel to precede him and then he yanked the curtains closed, squared his shoulders and firmed his resolve.

Keeping his back to the XO, a man he'd called friend for many years, he said the words he'd never wanted to say. "Saul. You need to choose between the drinking and your job." He turned to face him. "This ship can't handle it. I can't handle it and you certainly can't handle it." He kept his voice pitched low, but there was no mistaking the quiet fury behind his words. "I let you run this mission…even when I had doubts about not sending Kara in with Lee. I have to live with that." He looked his friend in the eye. "But I won't let you damage yourself, your rank, or this ship any more by letting the drink get in the way." His didn't wait for a response…he wanted Saul to think things over, so he turned to exit. His hand paused on the curtain and he angled his head back to his XO. "Whatever you choose to do…Ellen needs to be off this ship within the week. See to it." With that, he left hoping to track down the surgical technician again before calling the President to give her a requested update on his son's condition.

Two hours later, Kara jumped up from her position on the floor when Cottle finally emerged from the surgical area. She skidded to a halt when he held up his hand for silence while he lit a cigarette. "Stop right there, lieutenant. I only plan on saying this once…Commander's on his way…hanging up the phone as we speak." Helo had caught up to them and Doc Cottle squinted over at him through the haze of smoke. "Thought I told you to get some rest, young man." He glanced at Kara again. "Nevermind. Not much rest to be found when that one's around." He chuckled at his own joke as Adama joined the group.

Shrugging out of his surgical scrubs, the good doctor began his rundown. "Bullet went in through his torso and didn't exit…so it had to be removed. Which we did." He grabbed a technician, traded his scrubs for a metal bin to flick his ashes in and went on. "It hit an artery…that's where all the blood was coming from and there was some damage to the muscle…bullets tend to bounce around a good bit before they settle down." At Kara's sharp intake of breath, he added. "But it's not serious. The Captain's young and strong. He'll be flying again in no time." He quirked a small smile at Kara's sigh of relief. "He lost a crapload of blood, though. I daresay if Helo here hadn't shoved his hand practically inside the wound until all the commotion died down…we might have lost him." As Kara's face paled he realized she hadn't known that particular detail. It was no skin off his nose, so he finished up his report. "He's in recovery…wants to see Starbuck, then the Commander." As a medic shoved a clipboard into his hands, he added. "One at a time and keep it short. He's gonna be out of it and he needs sleep to start healing." As Kara went to walk past him, the gentleness of his grip on her arm belied his gruff voice. "Short, Lieutenant. As in brief." He grinned as Kara nodded curtly and took off for recovery. He laughed outright when she stopped, turned, winked at him then blew him a kiss before ducking into Lee's curtained off area.

Her face fell as she caught sight of Lee lying in the bed with a sheet low on his hips leaving the dressed wound exposed for quick checks. Kara walked slowly over, drinking in the sight of him, alive and breathing. Being careful not to jostle the IV tubing sticking out of his hand, she laced her fingers with his and said a quick prayer of thanks to the gods for letting him come home to her.

She didn't plan on staying long…she just needed to touch him and feel for herself that he was okay. She started when he brushed his thumb over hers and her eyes flew up to meet the blue gaze of his. "Hey. You're awake." It was stupid, but her eyes filled with tears. "Doc says you're gonna be fine." He was trying to say something, but his voice was nothing but a harsh whisper. "Lee…don't talk. You're gonna be okay." She went to remove her fingers from his, but his grip was stronger than she would have thought. She leaned forward to hear what he was trying to say to her.

Lee was in agony and hovering between sleep and wakefulness, but when he felt Kara's presence, he had to tell her it was Helo who had contacted them. His anesthesia-clogged brain didn't realize that Helo had already made his presence known. He couldn't get his voice to work and his throat hurt like hell from where the tube was shoved down it during the surgery. Not that he remembered that part, but he knew that's what it was from. He saw Kara's eyes fill with tears and she was telling him he was going to be fine. He didn't doubt it, not with her sitting there next to him. The only other thing he could focus on was telling Kara it was Helo. He needed her to know that…now that the mission was over.

He swallowed hard and tried to speak. "He—Helo." Kara was telling him not to talk, but he had to get this out. When she started to unlace their fingers, he closed his hand around hers and stopped her. Finally she leaned forward and he cleared his throat again. "Helo. Kara. Helo was on the ship." Ah gods, it hurt to talk. He swallowed again and it felt like glass going down his throat, but he only had one more thing to say. "I'm sorry…couldn't tell you." His eyes slid closed as he had to swallow again and it was just too much. He let out a harsh breath that ended on a cough.

Kara pressed her lips against his forehead. "Lee. It's all right." She squeezed his hand gently. "I get it…okay. Don't worry about it." When she felt his answering squeeze in response, she removed her hand from his and tenderly brushed her fingers down the side of his face. He's lying in the life station, shot up, and he's worried about her knowing it was Helo. Gods, she loved him. Only Lee would still be over thinking things after major surgery.

Leaning forward, she pressed her lips to his and he responded by kissing her back gently and quickly. She glanced up to find his eyes open again. Grabbing his hand once more, she told him. "I love you." He opened his mouth and she squeezed his fingers shaking her head back and forth, but he didn't speak…just mouthed the words back to her. She grinned. "Doc says I have to be brief…so I'm gonna get your dad." Letting go of his hand, she kissed him on his forehead again. "I'll be back as soon as Cottle will let me in to stay a while." At his nod, she turned to leave but before exiting she said. "Get lots of rest, Lee. We need you out here. I need you." She caught his smile as she pulled back the curtain to let Adama in.

She grinned at his dad. "He's all yours, Commander." After giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze, he entered to sit by his son. Kara pulled the curtain closed and went off to find Helo.

She tracked him down in one of the emergency stations surrounded by female medics who were oohing and aahing over his injuries. As she approached they all scattered in different directions.

Helo looked over his shoulder and glared at her. "They're all afraid of you, you know…after witnessing the TKO you laid the Colonel out with." He hopped off the bed to stand in front of her.

Kara shrugged her shoulders. "Tigh deserved it." She grabbed Helo's non-injured hand and started dragging him out of the life station. It was so good to have him back…but he had some explaining to do.

Helo smiled. Kara was in 'take no prisoner' mode. He couldn't resist teasing her. "Where're we going?" He was dragging his feet, acting reluctant to leave sickbay.

Kara grumbled a little then stopped. "You…me…bottle of ambrosia…pilot's mess…twenty questions." She started dragging him again before saying over her shoulder. "I'm asking the questions." When he perked up at hearing bottle of ambrosia it was all she could do not to laugh at him. Lords, she had missed him.

Helo was down with sharing a bottle of ambrosia with her. Lords knew it had been a LONG time since any form of alcohol had passed his lips. But he wasn't going to be the only one answering questions. "No fair. Instead of twenty questions…I say we play one shot, one question." He was dying to know how she ended up with another Adama. He chuckled when she rolled her eyes at him.

Kara shook her head. "Fine. One shot. One question." She pulled him into the pilot's mess and slanted her head at an empty table in the middle of the room. "Take a seat, Karl." Looking around to make sure no one else was in the room, she crossed over to a corner with two trash bins sitting in it.

She moved one of the bins aside and reached back into a hidden cubbyhole. Pulling out a stashed bottle of ambrosia, she held it up for Helo to see. As she stood, she snagged two glasses from the beverage center and walked over to the table.

Sitting the glasses down on the tabletop, she stated. "We'll play this your way…but I get to go first." Uncapping the bottle, she poured the green liquid into both glasses. Sliding one over to Helo she nodded for him to pick it up. "First one's all yours." She touched his glass with hers. "Welcome home, Helo." Then she watched happily as he downed the smooth liquor in a single gulp, the look of pleasure on his face making her smile. "Miss the good stuff?" She giggled when all he could was shake his head up and down since he was still savoring the burn of the liquor hitting his system after his long forced abstinence.

She refilled his glass, nodded again and raised her own. "Here's to friends and NOT losing them at the end of the world." They toasted their glasses together and tossed back the smooth liquid.

Kara topped off their shots again while Helo asked. "You gonna sit or what?" Her standing over him while he was sitting was making him nervous. "You're creeping me out, Starbuck." Helo shoved the chair in front of her out with his foot and Kara sat down across from him.

Tapping the table by Helo's glass, she said. "First question." She knew he was expecting her to ask about the op…but Lee was out of the woods and Helo had been stranded on Caprica for months. As he was picking up his shot, she opted to ask. "How did you survive?" She watched his hand falter on it's way to his mouth, and she almost regretted asking. She was relieved when he downed the shot.

Damn…Helo thought as the liquid slid down his throat. He'd forgotten that she didn't pull her punches. It was a loaded question with no simple answer so he decided to keep it short. "Sharon." When Kara stiffened at the mention of Boomer's name, he moved to clarify things. "I know, Kara. I found out on Caprica." His eyes grew sad at the memory. "It was the first thing I told the commander when we got on board." He flipped his glass end over end in his hand hoping she wouldn't ask about anything else right now.

The flash of pain in his eyes let Kara know there was more to the story, but she let it drop for now. He'd tell her when he was ready.

They'd discovered the truth about their own Sharon not long after they'd started running from the Cylons.

She slid the bottle of ambrosia over to Helo to pour his next round. Picking up her glass, she swirled the liquid while saying. "Okay…your turn." She brought the glass to her lips and waited.

Helo's face split into a grin. "I wanna know what possessed you to hook up with another Adama?" He'd heard bits and pieces while Kara was in visiting with Lee, but he wanted it straight from the horse's mouth.

Kara downed her shot. "Three grueling days of patrols, a marathon game of triad and way, WAY too much of the Chief's Brew." Upending her glass, she sat it on the table then leaned back with a grin on her face. That's all he was getting for now. "My turn." She waited until he'd picked up the shot. "Spill it…from the beginning." She righted her glass and poured another shot for herself. She had a feeling she might need it.

Helo tossed his drink back then took a deep breath to begin the tale. "You know the basics. Standard rescue op…they came in the only way they could…through the entrance on the port side." He sat back in his chair and hooked his thumbs in his pockets. "We were all in the small cargo hold…the only place big enough to hold everyone in one place. Those were the instructions from Galactica." He paused to take a breath then continued. "The marines entered first in their med team guise, with Apollo on point…followed by the actual medics with Duck bringing up the rear." Shifting his position, he leaned forward and put his arms on the table. "Apollo recognized me right away but let me take the lead. It was a smart move…one of the passengers was a Cylon…big black guy who claimed to be a doctor." The one thing his Sharon had given him before she sacrificed herself was the identity of two of the Cylon models. The other one was a blond, willowy woman who could steal your breath away with her beauty.

Helo had stopped talking and was fighting down the memory of watching Sharon go out in a ball of flames so he could escape and make it to the ship that was heading out to find the fleet. He snapped out of his reverie when Kara poured him another drink. Smiling gratefully, he picked it up and downed it…the burn of the alcohol bracing him to continue.

Sitting back again, he looked at Kara who was watching him with concern. "Thanks." Sucking it up he continued filling her in on the details. "Sorry…as I was saying, Apollo let me take lead. While the medical team was assessing the injured we had on board, the Cylon, Simon, was occupied so I walked up to Apollo, shook his hand and told him it was going to be great serving with him again." He smiled at Kara's satisfied grin. He and Apollo had never actually had a chance to serve together…Apollo's first day had been his last on board Galactica.

Not letting himself dwell on giving up his chance to get back to the ship he quickly picked back up with his story. "I was pretty sure Apollo caught the hint, but added another by asking him if he enjoyed flying his MARK VII the day of the decommissioning ceremony." It had been a MARK II that Apollo flew that day.

Helo caught Kara's hands in his…he was getting to the point where things went south. "I'm not sure what gave us away to the Cylon, but just as I was nodding my head in his direction, he looked up and saw who I was talking to." He squeezed Kara's hands. "I swear he couldn't have known I knew about him, Kara." When she nodded in understanding, he continued. "Apollo caught it the same time I did and drew his sidearm while I yelled for everyone to drop. He fired off a round but didn't know the Cylon had an assault rifle under his lab coat. Thank the gods it was set for single shot fire." He gripped Kara's hands harder as she sucked in a breath, realizing how much worse things could have been. "I shoved the Captain down as soon as I saw the rifle, but the Cylon's bullet caught him in the side. I grabbed his sidearm and shot…almost blind…and put a bullet in the 'good doctor's' head." Pausing a moment as he relived it, he let go of Kara's hands.

"All hell broke loose. The marine's went into combat mode and while I was trying to stop the bleeding for Apollo, he's asking if there are any more Cylon's…then yelling at the marines to hold their fire. By this time I had my hand stuck in his side and still couldn't get the bleeding to stop, but he's still growling out orders. Duck had to physically restrain one of the marines to keep him from shooting a passenger when they got up to come over to help me." He shook his head. "Frakkin' marines." That earned him an answering chuckle from Kara, who had taken everything in stride so far.

"Once the situation was under control, Apollo ordered Duck to get the injured passengers loaded onto the Raptors and to let the non-injured ones know we'd be prepping to make a jump. Then he had the marines secure the Cylon…we both had kill shots, by the way. Apollo's went right through his heart…just didn't take him down fast enough." Helo scooped her hands back in his again and said quietly. "The medics made their way over to us…which was a good thing, because even with one hand inside him and the other holding pressure…he was loosing a lot of blood. I don't know how he stayed conscious." Gently rubbing his thumbs over her skin with a soothing motion, he told her what he thought would mean the most to her. "As I was trying to untangle myself from him to let the medics get to him, he grabbed my arm…told me to let you know he was going to be fine. He wouldn't let go until I promised him." The look that passed over her face was part disbelief, part proud mate. Yep…she had it bad for the Captain. "He didn't tell me to say this to you, but right before he finally lost consciousness, it was your name he whispered." He felt her hands go icy and almost regretted telling her the last part. His intention wasn't to upset her.

Kara wasn't upset…more like aware of how close she came to losing Lee. She glanced up at Helo and saw his concerned eyes on her. Perking up, she thanked him. "Seems you saved his life. I love you for that." Her morose mood was completely broken when Helo said she already loved him so it didn't count.

Helo poured them both one last shot. "You've got the whole story." He picked up his glass and tossed back the shot. "Now…it's your turn. I want the rest of the story on you and Apollo hooking up…what? Permanently?" He asked as he settled back in his chair and propped his feet up on the seat next to it.

Kara laughed. If Helo wanted the whole story she was going to give it to him. She began with, "We got busted…by the commander…" As Helo nearly fell off his chair laughing, she filled him in on the commander letting them off the hook, the bet, their decision to put one over on the ship and all the various and sundry spots they ending up getting together. It was Helo she was talking to so she held nothing back. He was that kind of friend.

His comment that they'd come up with places he would have never thought of had her chuckling. His admission that they were obviously more intelligent than he was had her laughing. When she got to the part of getting caught…in a conference room…by the President of the Colonies, Helo nearly lost it again. He wouldn't shut up about the fact that when they got busted they didn't do small. She finally threw the lid to the ambrosia bottle at him to get him to shut his yap.

She filled him in on the very uncomfortable conversations that followed with the President and Commander. Helo got the biggest kick out of her retelling of the joint session where she and Lee learned about the new regs for fraternization. He nodded in sympathy while she told him about her time in hack and grimaced when she mentioned the summons they had both received on the day of their release…messing up their plans to make up for lost time. She caught him totally off guard when she dropped the bomb about shared quarters and how she accepted the place she and Lee were living in.

Helo stared slack jawed. "You did not." What was he thinking…of course she did? Only Kara would kick the door shut in the Commander's face and not think twice about it.

Kara was nodding. "Yep and Lee had the same reaction you just did." Speaking of Lee…she checked the time. Frak…she and Helo had been sitting there for over two hours. She wanted to go check on Lee and find out if he was still improving so she mentioned that she needed to run.

As she was standing, Helo was shaking his head back and forth. "Like I said…nothing changes." He winked at her. "You never do anything the easy way." He put his feet back on the floor, but didn't rise.

Leaning down, Kara gave his forehead a sloppy kiss. "And you wouldn't have me any other way." She cleared the glasses from the table and capped the almost empty ambrosia bottle.

Standing, Helo was struck with another question. "So…who won the bet?" She was right…he would have totally been in on that one.

As Kara was walking to the door, she gave him saucy grin. "The Commander, who else?" She exited to the sound of Helo's ringing laughter.

Four days later, after spending whatever free time she had with Lee in sickbay, Cottle finally deemed him ready for release…for recuperation in their quarters. Apparently Lee was getting grumpy and Cottle decided that he was the only one who was allowed to be grumpy in the life station, so he was cutting Lee loose. It was up to her to keep him quiet for another week and not let him overexert himself. Kara didn't like the eye roll she received as he told her that.

Placing her hands on her hips, she rattled Cottle's cage. "Think I can't handle him?" No one would hear a peep out of Lee…even if she had to smother him to accomplish it.

Cottle just waved her off. "You'll manage, Lieutenant…or I wouldn't be cutting him loose." He signed the chart, tore off a copy and handed it to Kara. "Here's the instructions for light activity and the schedule for his meds…but I want him in bed unless he's going to therapy. With a brain like his…he'll want to work. Bring it to him. Don't let him set foot in the CAG's office. I don't care if it's on the same level as your quarters." When Kara nodded, he finished his spiel. "He should be ready and waiting on you. Don't break any land speed records getting him back to quarters." When she grinned at him, he added warningly. "I mean it Lieutenant." He shook his head and pulled out a cigarette as she just gave him a thumb's up sign and went to find Lee.

Kara did take it slow getting him back to their quarters. She filled him in on the flight roster and the recruits. It had been quiet while he'd been laid up so she didn't have any Cylon activity to relate. She wasn't telling him anything he didn't already know…it was just safe conversation until they made to quarters. Helo was waiting on them and pulled open the hatch as Kara helped Lee get over the threshold. They'd come in the back way to avoid having to make their way across the flight deck. Kara wanted to get Lee into bed and settled as soon as possible.

He looked so much better than he had when she'd first seen him. His color was back and the drawn pained expression was gone. He just moved a little slower than usual…a hole in your side made things interesting.

Lee greeted Helo and invited him inside as Kara steered him right to the bedroom. He sat gingerly on the edge of the bed and slowly swung his feet up onto the mattress. With Kara's help he got the pillows situated so he could get comfortable then he asked Helo how he was doing with his new Raptor pilot, Racetrack. Helo had stopped by several times to visit him while he was in sickbay and while Lee didn't know the ECO very well, he liked him. He'd paired him up with Margaret because she knew what she was doing…had been an ECO herself and would help Helo get back into the swing of things. They were getting along well according to Karl.

He wasn't supposed to be doing paperwork yet, but he'd asked the commander to make the assignment for him. Bypassing the Colonel was probably ill advised, but Lee didn't care. The less he saw of Tigh right now, the better. He knew the Colonel had chosen to stay on board and clean up his act, but Lee would believe it when he saw it. Until then, he planned to avoid the man as much as possible. Thankfully his grasping wife was leaving the Galactica soon…per his father's orders. Maybe with her gone, they could count on the XO to once again be the officer he was supposed to be.

Helo stayed for about an hour then took his leave to hit the pilot's mess. He had what he hoped would be a standing bet with Hotdog on the weekly traps and today was count day. Lee invited him back to visit since he still had another week of boring bed rest to get through and he could use the distraction. Helo told him he'd be by sometime tomorrow.

As Kara walked him to the hatch, Lee settled back against the pillows and heaved a sigh of frustration. He hated being forced to inactivity. Catching sight of the stack of books on the chair across the room, he knew his father had been by. Books were great, but he wanted to do something physical. Anything physical. By the second day in life station, he'd been bored out of his mind. Cottle was insistent that he stay still…didn't want his pretty work to get frakked up by too much activity too soon. Lee was all for getting better, but gods, he wasn't planning on running a marathon. Kara on the other hand…he had a couple of ideas there for some physical activity.

When Kara came back in with a huge bottle of pills in her hand and a glass of water, he groaned. "How many of the damn things do I have to take today?" Cottle had him on a mega dose of antibiotics because of the blood loss and Lee was sick of taking them.

Kara rolled her eyes. "Quit being a baby. You have to take two now and two before you go to sleep tonight." She sat the pills beside him and let him take them out. When he had them in his mouth she handed him the glass and watched as he dutifully drained half the contents. "There…wasn't so bad, was it?" She giggled at the look he shot her.

Lee knew she got it, but she was having too much fun. "Yeah…I'll remember this the next time you have to take a bunch of meds." As she sat the glass down on the shelf beside the bed, Lee grabbed her hand and pulled her down beside him. "And I'll have no sympathy for you either." He smiled because they both knew he was teasing and when he leaned in to kiss her, he proved it.

It was the first real kiss they'd managed for four days and they both felt the effects. Kara's hands came up to hold his face close to hers, while Lee's fingers shot through her hair to wrap around the golden strands. He deepened the kiss as his tongue re-examined familiar territory. Being laid up in sickbay had left him with plenty of time to ponder what could have happened if Helo hadn't shoved him out of the line of fire. He needed to be with Kara…now. All he had to do was think of a way to make it happen.

Breaking away from the kiss, Lee moved his lips over her face and down her throat then back up again. Running possible ways to be with her in his mind while doing so. Each scenario that rifled through his head ended up with him back in sickbay, which didn't lessen his body's response any. Dragging his mouth back to hers, a perfect image popped into his brain. He'd figured it out…now all he had to do was get them both naked.

As Kara was getting sucked into the vortex of lust and love that was them she heard Cottle's voice in her head and cursed it to the gods. Her need to be with Lee and feel him pressed against and deep inside her was fast shredding her reasons to listen to Cottle's instructions. She pulled away from the kiss, gasping in air. "Lee…we can't do this." She let go of his face but couldn't resist sliding her hands down his arms. "Cottle will have my ass if you end up back in sickbay." She tried to lean away, but Lee's fingers were still twined in her hair.

He wasn't letting her go; Cottle be damned. He leaned in and kissed her again letting his desire for her show through. He heard her groan and felt her try to draw back again. "Kara." He said softly against her mouth, in between hungry kisses. "We can do this." His mouth moved down her neck again, "Better still…we're going to." Sliding his fingers out of her hair, he moved them down to her shirt and while lifting it over her head, his mouth dipped to the newly exposed skin leaving a hot trail of kisses behind.

Kara shuddered with want. The feel of Lee's fingers moving over her skin was quickly laying to waste whatever good intentions she had. She brought her hands up and shakily undid the buttons on Lee's fatigue shirt. When she caught sight of his dressed wound, she paused and pulled back from him. She couldn't bear the thought of possibly hurting him further.

Lee's eyes followed her line of sight. "Kara." When her eyes met his, he said simply, while shrugging out of his shirt. "Trust me." Holding her gaze until she nodded, he reached forward and placed his hands at her waist running his fingers along the edge of her pants dipping below the material to start inching it down. He grinned when she stood and took over removing her pants, then going to work on his. Naked was being taken care of.

Kara grabbed the waistband of Lee's sweats and gently slid them down as he lifted his hips. She removed his boxers next and was surprised when he glanced at the spot on the bed beside him. While he gingerly rolled onto his non-injured side, she crawled up on the bed and slid in close to him finding a comfortable spot that kept his dressed wound away from physical contact. Her brain was still warring with itself on whether or not this was good idea.

Lee's hand went to the back of her head and tilted her face up to his. She met his lips tentatively at first, as she had his injury in the back of her mind, but his persuasive pursuit pushed her concern to the side. In its place was the fact that he'd made it back and was lying next to her. His lips increased their pressure against hers, his tongue delving into her mouth, extracting all thought from her mind leaving only the need behind. She melted into him, hands moving over his skin avoiding the gauzed and taped area of his wound. She cupped his ass and pulled herself closer to him, moaning when his cock brushed up against her belly. Her hips flexed instinctively, seeking contact as the erotic tension built between them.

Lee could feel Kara holding back and wasn't going to have it. He had come back to her, and he wanted…no needed to reaffirm that he was better for being with her. He coaxed her with unrelenting precision, using his lips and tongue to their best ability. His hands slid down her back with a whisper touch and he felt her cave in and respond by sliding her hips forward. His hands cupped the curves of her behind as her hips jutted forward and he held her there as the sweet feel of her skin against his shaft started a slow burn deep inside him. Her lips traveled over his face and when her teeth grazed over his throat, he let out a groan and knew it was time.

Kara was lost in a haze of feeling, like she was standing on a high wire. She felt Lee's hands move up to her shoulders and when he whispered gruffly, "Turn over…on your other side," she shivered. Kara rolled slowly over, his hands caressing her as she turned, until with one hand splayed on her hip, he drew her back against him. Sliding his hand down her thigh, he drew her leg up over his hip raising her up enough for him to thrust into her and oh gods it felt good. As he cupped her breast with one hand, the fingers of the other drifted to where they were joined to slide over the slippery nub of nerves. With his mouth at her ear, he whispered exactly what he wanted as he told her to slowly move back and forth over his cock.

Lee was teetering on the brink as soon as he plunged inside Kara's soft, wet center. The twinge in his side was just that, a twinge, but he knew better than to push things too far. Wrapping an arm around her, he kneaded her breast, brushing his palm over the pebbled tip. He kept his other hand busy driving Kara to distraction as his raspy voice explained in detail how he wanted her to move. As her hips moved up and down over his shaft, he held on to the thin thread of his control until he felt her clench around him and they both shuddered together in climax.

Kara came down slowly with Lee's arms now wrapped around her holding her close. She had lost herself in him as they came together in a sweet explosion of life. Sliding her leg off his hip, she carefully turned into his embrace and sought his lips with hers. Biting gently on his lower lip, her hand moved down his side coming to rest just above his injury. Breaking away, she lifted her head to make sure the wound was undamaged by their actions.

Satisfied that he was fine, she nudged him back so he was no longer lying on his side. Once he was settled, she reached down for the coverlet and pulled it up over them. When she was finished she looked up to find him gazing at her. Knowing what he was going to say, she queried anyhow. "What?" Snuggling in closer, she laid her head on his chest and waited.

Lee smiled smugly. "I told you to trust me." With the exception of a slight throb that would be there anyway, he was no worse for the wear. "I love you too much to do anything right now, that will keep me away from you." He caught her lips in a quick kiss before letting her say her piece.

Kara laughed lightly rested her chin on her fisted hand. "I trusted you, Lee." Holding his gaze, she added. "Always will." He hadn't let her down yet.

Lee grinned down at her. "Good to know." Then lifting her chin with his fingers, he kissed her long and slow before settling back against the pillows so they could both get some sleep.

FIN


	13. Chapter 13

Originally posted: June 24, 2006

PART 13

Lee's recovery from his gunshot wound was progressing nicely. He wasn't back on flight rotation, but it had only been two weeks. He worked half shifts in CIC and did the rest of his job from quarters. Cottle still wouldn't clear him for work in the office…said he didn't want to risk having a grumpy CAG back in sickbay. Lee couldn't imagine why he felt that way.

While doing paperwork, Lee usually had the wireless on for background noise. He was used to the commotion and bustle of the flight deck and when the hatch was closed he didn't catch any of that while he was working. He didn't leave the hatch open because everyone liked to stop in to see how he was doing and he didn't get anything accomplished. Not that he minded the company, but he still had a job to do.

The past four days had a new item on talk radio…called the Colonial Military Minute. Lee missed it completely the first day, but caught it on the succeeding ones. Everyday was something new about how someone screwed something up or made a huge gaffe. One day it was Hot Dog taking out a Viper that had a malfunctioning rear thruster because he read the tail numbers wrong. The next it was a scheduling snafu that almost resulted in a crash between two of the civilian fleet's ships while they were waiting to restock on water.

Today's report was about Kat missing the trap because she was covering a rotation for Duck, who was out with some type of food poisoning. Seemed Kat had been out all night the previous night on leave and was first up as an alternate pilot. Little sleep and a slight buzz from overdoing it on Cloud Nine resulted in her being so fatigued that she missed her landing and crunched her Viper's landing gear nice and good. The implication was clear: the Colonial Military didn't have it all together.

Alarm bells were going off in Lee's head…something wasn't right. Kat's accident was only yesterday. Whoever provided the information to the press had first hand knowledge of what happened on Galactica. One of their own was working against them.

Lee called down to CIC to speak with the Commander, who informed him they were meeting after his shift in CIC. He was pulling in Kara and Helo, the highest-ranking Viper and Raptor pilots after the CAG and Gaeta from CIC. It was time for damage control.

Sitting in the conference room with his dad and Tigh as well as Kara, Helo and Gaeta, they eliminated all of the senior staff. None of them had the time or the motive to hook up with a reporter on a daily basis. Baltar was a press hound, but they crossed him off because he didn't have access to the hangar deck logs. They discussed the possibility of another Cylon agent within the military but with Helo's help…he had seen the most models…they figured it was a slim chance.

No one wanted to say it…someone in the lower ranks of the crew was trying to stir up trouble and create doubt within the fleet. Lee glanced around the table, "So…we have a leak that needs plugged." Looking to his father he asked, "Who's going to plug it?" It wouldn't be him. Cottle would never sign off on it.

Adama threw his pen on the table. "My first choice would be the CAG…with pilots involved." He glanced at Lee. "Since that can't happen, I want the senior pilot to do the questioning." Nodding at Kara, he asked, "You up for it?" As she shook her head, he continued, "You may as well question the rest of the crew, too. I'll clear it with the officers in charge." Looking at Gaeta, he ordered, "Get a priority one memo out today." Gaeta replied and left to get the memo ready.

Colonel Tigh was sober, but still nursed a grudge against Lee and Kara. Ellen had been off ship for a full week and he spent what downtime he could with her, but things were still strained between them. He couldn't resist the opportunity to bait Kara. "So Lieutenant," he sneered, "who you gonna take as back-up? Apollo here's out of the game." Adama's narrowed eyes made him regret the words almost instantly. He had a long way to go to make it up to the old man, not letting Kara back up Lee.

He looked down at his shaking hands and clenched them into fists. He'd beat this…he owed it to his friend to beat this. Opening his mouth to apologize, Kara beat him to the punch.

Throwing Tigh a look that told him she wouldn't need back up, she stated softly, "I'll take Helo with me." She glanced at Lee, then the Commander, "If that works for you?" She really didn't care if it worked or not and she left Tigh out of the equation on purpose as if he didn't rate. Besides, after Lee, Helo was the only person she trusted completely to get how pilots think. The rest of the crew didn't have her concerned. Pilots who are fearful they might get grounded could make things ugly.

And they didn't need ugly. The precarious balance Lee worked so hard for would go down the tubes if they had pilots wailing on each other and getting thrown in the brig. Even with new pilots coming up, they still had a shortage of people. And nuggets couldn't handle everything…they were still working on a learning curve. Only experience could make truly qualified pilots.

Adama raised his eyes to Helo's, "Work for you, son?" He'd spent a lot of time with the Raptor ECO lately and was confident he'd have Kara's back. Not that she needed it, but he'd feel better if two people were present during the questioning. What one missed, the other would pick up.

Shooting a glance at Lee before answering, Helo found nothing but approval on the man's face. Answering Adama, he said, "I got it covered, sir," but he was speaking to Lee when he said it. He knew it was hard on the CAG to sit this one out, but he'd gotten to know him fairly well since he'd been laid up. Lee could trust that he'd watch out for Kara, even while knowing she could take care of herself.

The commander stood, everyone standing with him. "Let's get to it then," he turned on his heel and headed for the hatch, shoulders straight and squared. Tigh followed quickly behind him.

Watching his father leave, Lee sighed deeply. The man amazed him. Stoic and strong as always, Lee didn't think he'd be holding up as well if he were under the strain his father was.

Kara walked over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I'll be late tonight. Helo and I are going to start now." She leaned down, giving him a quick hard kiss on the mouth. "No use putting it off. The sooner we find who's doing this the sooner I can get more nuggets trained." She let out a bark of laughter when Lee snagged her hand and pulled her to him for a lingering kiss, not caring that Helo was waiting by the hatch.

Pulling back, she ran her hand down his arm, adding softly, "Don't wait up for me."

Winking at her, Lee responded, "I won't…you know me, early bed time. Doctor's orders." Nodding to Helo, he waved them off to go do their thing.

Working late into the night watch, Kara and Helo eliminated all of the non-flight personnel, leaving only the pilots and deck gang for questioning the next day. She had to smile at the range of responses they got from the crew. Everything from outright curiosity from the gossip hounds, to utter disbelief from the more hardened military types, to a total lack of knowledge among the young pups who never listened to talk radio on the wireless.

Kara had a feeling they wouldn't hit pay dirt with the first round of questionings. The Colonial Military Minute wasn't talking about the galley serving the wrong soup. Nope. They were reporting on the happenings of the flight squadrons and hangar deck. The inside source was someone they'd get to tomorrow, making the long day worth the process of elimination.

The leak was a pilot. Kara could feel it in her bones. She said as much to Helo standing outside her quarters. "Make sure you watch closely tomorrow. Any twitchy eye movements, clenched fists, you name it…I want to know about it." Speaking in a low tone, she got a tiny nod from Helo as a response. "I don't like this Helo, we've got enough to deal with when the Cylon's show up. Having someone waving our dirty laundry around to the press just pisses me off." She'd had a brief thought that Ellen Tigh was possibly the leak, but her personal feeling aside, she didn't think the Colonel would risk his rank right now by sharing anything military with his wife.

No…it had to be a pilot. And if anybody asked her why, she'd be hard pressed to give them an answer. It was just a gut feeling. Letting herself into quarters, she almost wished Lee would still be up, but knew he wouldn't be. He'd understand the gut thing, though. They'd talked about it before. Sometimes you just knew things deep down. And she knew this. There would be one less pilot on the roster after they finished their questioning. Stripping off her clothes, she thought she should have made a bet with someone…it would have been easy money.

Crawling into bed, she wrapped herself around Lee, whose arms instinctively went around her, drawing her close. She sighed deeply and settled in, letting her mind drift on a contented wave.

Lee's lips brushing over her head startled her. "You're supposed to be asleep, Captain." His rumbling chuckle was his response.

His hands moved up to cup her breasts, mouth seeking hers in the darkness. A satisfied moan slipped out as one slow kiss drifted into another. Lee eased over onto his back, carefully maneuvering Kara on top of him. Grabbing her thighs, he shifted their position until he could enter her, sliding in with ease. Trailing his lips along her throat, he moved them to her ear whispering that he missed her.

Kara grinned, mouth against his shoulder, nipping lightly at the smooth curve. She let Lee set the pace and met his thrusts, rocking gently against his groin. Keeping her thighs spread wide, mindful of his almost healed wound, she moved slowly against him letting the pleasure build from the languid motion. Meeting Lee's lips, her tongue dueled with his as they gradually rode their desire to completion. Pulling him in, squeezing around him the friction started to build edging them closer to the breaking point.

Lee dipped his head, latching onto her throat moving down to the smooth skin of her shoulder. Marking her lightly, his tongue slid over her collarbone before his lips ghosted up to her chin. Plunging his fingers through her hair, he drew her head down while pumping his hips, catching her groan with his lips. Continuing the kiss, his hands caressed down her back settling on the curve of her behind. It spurred her to grind down hard as he pushed up into her sending them both over the edge. Breaking together, their movements slowed as their hands twined together.

Kara slid off Lee with boneless ease and settled back in beside him. With his arm wrapped around her, her thoughts touched back on the leak. She'd run her feelings by Lee in the morning and if he didn't think she was whacked, she'd know for sure if she were on the right track. Turning off the noise in her head, she snuggled down, yawned and closed her eyes. Sleep came quickly after her long day.

Lee did agree with her…about it being a pilot who was the leak. "As much as I hate to think it, I trust your gut." He buttoned his uniform shirt, contemplating the roster. "We've had no complaints…but that doesn't mean someone's not pissed off." Watching as Kara slid into a uniform, he got a bad feeling about the questioning.

Kara was oblivious to Lee's musings. "Yeah, well, I get pissed off and I don't go blabbing everyone's shortcomings." Not to the press anyhow. "We bust our asses for the civilian fleet. Don't they have anything better to do than yammer about mistakes over the wireless?" Lee's collar was crooked, so she absently smoothed it flat.

Shrugging his shoulders, Lee replied blandly, "Apparently not." He walked into the living area, heading for the desk. A stack of paperwork was waiting, but he was headed to CIC for his early half shift. Grabbing a report his father needed, he checked Kara's progress. She was still dressing and he needed to run, so he changed his direction and re-entered the bedroom.

Walking up behind Kara as she tucked in her shirt, he drew her back against him pressing a kiss to her temple. "I gotta run." Unable to shake the weird feeling, he added, "You guys might want to station a marine outside the conference room today."

Kara angled her head around, brow wrinkled. "Why? You know something I don't?" Her lips quirked with a wry smile.

Lee shook his head. "No. Just a feeling." He was probably being stupid.

Kara tilted her head up, kissing him soundly. "I'll run it by Helo…but I think between the two of us, we'll be fine." She gave him another peck before bending for her shoes.

Heading for the hatch, Lee turned, "I'll be here after my watch in CIC. Call if you need anything." When she nodded, he undogged the hatch, closing it behind him.

Flipping open the report he skimmed it briefly while heading to Command, shaking off the odd vibe from earlier.

Kara did run posting a marine by Helo. Between them they decided to keep the questioning more casual. No need to get everyone's backs up before they even walked through the door.

They started with the deck gang, not hitting anything. They interviewed Chief Tyrol last, assuring him that his people were in the clear. Galen didn't think any of his people were involved, but he was relieved to have it confirmed.

Kara and Helo started on the pilots. Duck was up first and while he admitted to spending his last couple of R and R's with someone new…they hadn't done much talking about anything. Kara smirked and winked then let him go. Hot Dog was up next; he asked more questions than they did, trying to get the dirt on everyone.

Exchanging an amused glance with Helo, Kara commented. "You're worse than a woman, Hot Dog. Don't let that curiosity bite you in the ass." With a wave she dismissed him…he wasn't their guy.

Kara ran her finger down the page to the next name on the list: Lt. Marcus Weatherby.

Exhaling a deep breath, she muttered, "Frak me." This outta go well. When Helo shot her a questioning look, she explained, "Jolly. Lee and I had a run in with him a while ago. He didn't come out of it on top." Jolly had been nothing but respectful to either of them since the President cut him off at the knees. Maybe too respectful. The wheels turned in Kara's head as she tapped her pen on the clipboard.

Helo rifled back through his memory trying to place Jolly. Giving Kara a considering look, he said, "Could be our guy." From what Karl remembered, Jolly was an adequate pilot, but no flash. Helo couldn't remember him ever sitting in on Triad games or even getting in on the numerous pools the crew always had going.

Kara nodded slowly, still thinking. "It could." Lee would be pissed if Jolly was the leak. He'd gone out of his way to schedule the pilot's shifts carefully.

Leaning back in his seat, Helo asked. "How do you wanna play this, Starbuck?" He'd leave it up to her…he'd want the same consideration if he'd just had a beef with someone.

Kara shrugged. "Not sure yet." She stopped tapping her pen, tossing in on the notepad. "You take point. I wanna gauge his reactions." Not that it would be easy, Marcus was a stuffed shirt, rigid in demeanor.

Helo bobbed his head in agreement as the hatch opened and Jolly walked in. They stood and Helo took the lead. "Jolly, good to see you." He shook the pilot's hand and indicated that he should sit.

Kara sat back down in silence, noting Marcus's single glance in her direction. From there he proceeded to ignore her. That's just what she wanted anyway.

Helo opened the pilot's file. "You know why you're here?" He folded the file in half and sat it in front of him.

Marcus looked at Starbuck briefly before answering. "The Colonial Military Minute?" His hands were resting on the table and the right one fisted up. Kara made a mental note of the reaction.

Helo shook his head. "That's right. We've been questioning all of the crew." He fixed an affable look on his face. "Ready to get started?"

Marcus looked directly at Helo. "Sure. Why not?" He settled back in his seat and relaxed.

Kara idly picked up her pen, rolling it across the notepad. Mentally she was thinking Jolly was a little too relaxed.

Helo jumped right in with the questions. "Has anyone from the press corps been in contact with you lately?" He didn't look at Marcus when he asked the question, just waited for his response.

Marcus's face wrinkled in confusion. "The press corps? No." He shifted slightly in his seat.

He not lying about that was Kara's impression. She waited for Helo to continue.

Helo picked up the file and sat back in his seat. "Have you been approached by anyone new on your off ship time? Someone who's maybe asking a lot of questions?" He looked directly at Weatherby this time, waiting for his answer.

Jolly's answer was short and to the point. "No." He didn't move or change positions.

He wasn't not lying…Helo was asking the wrong questions. Kara's gut kicked in full force. They'd found their leak. Idly picking up her pen again, she smoothly wrote on the page: Push and Bluff. She turned the tablet sideways and continued scribbling, looking for all the ship like she was bored and doodling. Marcus didn't even look her way, but Helo caught the words in his side view.

A barely perceptible nod from Helo acknowledged her point. Helo pushed. "You sure about that?" It was said tersely and Marcus's eyes widened in response.

Recovering quickly, he replied. "I think I'd know if someone new was hanging around." He sat forward, moving his hands under the table's edge. "I spend most of my down time off ship volunteering at the Agri-ship." He paused a moment before adding, "And no. No one new ever comes to the ship to ask questions." He covered all the bases, or so he thought.

Helo scooted back from the table, laying the file down, with a corner sticking out. He stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankles and folded his arms over his chest. "So…when I look at the off-log calls," He nodded toward the file, "I won't find any outgoing ones to members of the press corps listed under you ident number?" Kara bit back a smile. Helo knew how to pick up a ball and run with it. Damn good at bluffing, too.

Sputtering, Marcus picked up the file. "I can explain that." He grabbed the offset page, dismayed when he discovered it was a listing of his recent shifts flown. Growling low in his throat, he looked at Kara, "This is your doing, isn't it?" He crumpled up the page and threw it on the table.

Kara stared blankly at him, not reacting to his tirade. Calmly, she noted, "I'd say this is your doing, Lieutenant." She shot a look at Helo. "Karl here just took a guess and it paid off." She didn't need the credit for this. Didn't want it either. That Jolly would go so far as to be the one to make contact with the reporters, it left a really nasty taste in her mouth.

Nostrils flaring, Marcus sneered. "Karl here didn't do anything. YOU did this." His face turned red and his fingers raked through his hair as he stood. "It's not enough that you parade around this ship like you command it. You have to have both the CAG and the Commander wrapped around your finger, too." He should have stopped there, but he was on a roll and the vitriol kept coming. "Tell me Starbuck, you seem to have a thing for the name Adama." He missed the tightening of Kara's shoulders. "You been frakking the Commander, too?" He all but shouted it, face red, as he paced along the length of the table.

Kara sat, face hard, staring at Weatherby. "Give us the room, Helo." Her voice was husky with controlled anger.

Helo, stunned by the words spewing from the pilot, blinked and started to warn, "Kara, I—" He was cut off.

"NOW!" Still sitting, Kara didn't even look at Karl. Her eyes never left Jolly as he stood in place, looking back at her with hatred.

Helo scooped up the file and turned to leave. "I'm staying right outside, Kara." He didn't like leaving, but he knew that tone. Kara would have gladly kicked his ass out of the room. She had something to say and she wanted it off the record.

When the hatch clicked shut, Kara heaved out a breath. Flicking her tongue out to wet her lips, she took a moment, cocking her head from side to side in an effort to calm herself. Still holding Marcus's gaze, she spoke with a quiet, controlled voice. "Rank got checked at the door." When Weatherby acknowledged her statement with a shake of his head, she continued. "Care to tell me why you've got such a hard on for me, right now?" She truly didn't get it. She was arrogant, bitchy, and a pain to be around sometimes, but she'd never done anything to the pilot standing before her.

His ridiculous accusation that she slept with the commander had her fuming. The lack of respect he was showing for Adama made her want to smash his face into the wall. She wanted answers before he got brought up on charges for conduct unbecoming. "What did I do to you? Steal your shorts from the head? Kick your dog when you were little?" She raised her chin, clenching her jaw. "Why would you contact a reporter to show us with our pants down!?"

Marcus clenched his fists looking at the woman who, in his opinion, represented everything that was wrong with the military. "I contacted the reporter in the hopes that the civilian fleet would raise such a ruckus about the mistakes being made since the new regs went into effect that the military would be forced to go back to doing things in an orderly manner." All the changes were making Marcus insane. And they all started with the CAG and his flight instructor. "I HATE what's happening on this ship. I HATE not being taken seriously when I all but shout for order." Marcus started toward the table as he continued, "I blame the Commander for being soft on 'his children' and letting them get away with anything." The children part was spoken like a four year old would say it.

Weatherby didn't stop his rant there. "I blame the President for being bowled over by the three of you and covering your asses. And most of all, Lieutenant…" He was right at the edge of the table, face red again, speaking through clenched teeth, "…most of all, I blame YOU for being such a whore that you get whatever the hell it is you want." Kara never saw his hand coming, but it grabbed her up by her shirts, pulling her up over the table right to his face. He yelled at her, "Most of all I hate YOU! I hate you." He shook her hard while screaming, saliva flying out of his mouth, vein ticking along his forehead.

Kara's head snapped back on the second shake and her hands clawed at his fists knotted up in her shirts. He wasn't relinquishing his hold; in fact he was twisting her collar tighter and tighter, cutting of her air supply. Her vision going gray around the edges, Kara did the only she could do. Rearing back she brought her head down with full force right on top of his, pinpricks of light hovering around her consciousness from the force of the blow. It had the desired effect, knocking him back, forcing him to let go of her shirts as he stumbled backwards. Shaking his head, he made a move toward her again.

Dragging in air, Kara scrambled across the table, leaping at Weatherby while drawing back her arm and swinging until her fist connected with his jaw sending him flying backwards again. The forward momentum had her landing on top of him and she quickly pinned one arm with her knee. She heard the hatch clang open but she couldn't look as Marcus drew his free arm back and caught her under the chin with a sickening crunch, shoving her lip into her teeth drawing blood. Raising one of her legs, she dug her boot into his thigh shoving her knee into his chest, hard. She wiped her lip, leaving a streak of blood on her hand then grabbed his chin digging her fingers into the skin and punched him three times in rapid succession, knocking him unconscious.

Danger no longer imminent her body went lax and she sucked in a breath turning her head to see Helo rushing toward her eyes wide at seeing her face covered in blood. She opened her mouth to say she'd handled it, but all that came out was a croaking sound. Raising her eyes to Helo he looked fuzzy and wavy and she wanted to laugh but couldn't make a sound and she realized her lip hurt like a bitch. Room swimming, she dragged herself off the prone form under her and went to stand, but fell forward instead, Helo catching her as she passed out in his arms.

Gaping at the scene laid out in front of him, Karl checked Kara over and sagged in relief that she was still breathing. Glancing over at the equally bloody mess of Jolly, he knew he was in for a firestorm of trouble from the CAG and the Commander.

Hauling Kara up against him, he dragged her over to the comm phone and called for a med team. Sliding down the wall, still holding on to Kara, he muttered to himself. "Fraaaakk, Starbuck the shit you drag me into." He dropped a quick kiss to the top of her head and waited for the med team to arrive.

Lee got the call in CIC, Adama on the comm with him. He ripped off his headset, raising his eyes to his father, who had one terse word for him. "Go." Lee didn't waste any time, traversing the corridors as quickly as his wounded side would take him. By the time he reached the life station, the throbbing stitch in his side was relentless.

It didn't stop him from striding over to Helo and grabbing him by the collar. "You were supposed to have her back!" Lee stepped up, toe-to-toe with the taller man, snarling the words in his face.

Helo raised both hands indicating he'd take anything Lee had to offer. He didn't feel good about letting Starbuck order him out of the room. "She's—" He didn't get further as Lee's fist smashed into his face, snapping his head back.

A medic rushed over, pulling Karl away from Lee who made a move to follow. "Where the hell were you?" He all but shouted as he strode forward to follow the medic who mopped up Helo's split lip. "How could you let something happen to her?" Lee knew he wasn't being rational. Kara made things happen…it was what she did.

Again, Helo opened his mouth to say something and was cut off. By Kara. "Lee! Shut the frak up and get in here." She was behind a partially closed curtain. "I'm fine. It's just a mild concussion." This was said through clenched teeth because Kara hated the big deal Lee was making. And she was fine…bumped and bruised, but fine.

Hearing her voice stopped him in his tracks. All he knew was that she was in sickbay. No other details were provided when they called up to CIC. He threw a chagrined glance at Helo who waved him off, while the medic spread some nasty smelling ointment on his lip.

Ducking behind the curtain, Lee got his first look at Kara, sitting up in the bed against propped up pillows. A bandage was tucked up along her hairline and two butterfly strips were placed on the area where her teeth had pierced her lip. Moving closer he caught the angry red chafing around her neck and the purpling bruises along the front of her chest where Marcus had his fists twisted in her shirts. Son of a bitch. Reaching the edge of her bed, Lee held her eyes while his hand slid over hers. "Frak, Kara." He pressed a kiss to the non-injured side of her forehead.

The anger and fear drained out of him, seeing that she really was okay…more or less. As she looked up at him he held her gaze, squeezing her hand. It occurred to him that they'd found their leak and he didn't even know who it was yet. "Who?" The anger started a slow boil again. Lee could accept that fights were going to break out…in the mess, on the hangar deck, in the gym, places where adrenaline ran high. What happened to Kara wasn't just a fight and he couldn't wait to bring whoever did this to her up on charges. "How could this happen?"

Kara held his hand tightly, but shrugged her shoulders. "Before you go off half-cocked…you should see the other guy." She still hadn't told him it was Jolly. It wasn't going to sit well with Lee, especially after he tried to accommodate the pilot and make up for the two weeks of doubles Jolly had to fly. Her injuries would heal, but her gut told her this was something Jolly wasn't going to come back from. She had the benefit of perspective, now that the nastiness was over. Something was seriously wrong with Marcus and it didn't bode well for him.

Lee watched the emotion play over her face, resignation, worry, compassion. His tone held a slight warning; he wanted to know who it was. "Kara…" He cupped her chin; gently stroking his thumb over a darkening bruise, "Tell me."

Kara sighed, there was no help for it, she had to spill who it was. "Jolly." Lee stepped back like someone had punched him and Kara grabbed his wrist, stopping him from tearing out of the curtained area. "Lee…something's off with him." She remembered his words. Definitely not playing with a full deck right now. "Take Helo with you when you go to him." Doc Cottle had given her the rundown of Jolly's injuries, but she was going to let Lee see it for himself.

Lee made a move to back away and she held onto him for another moment. "Seriously, Lee. You need to take Helo." Getting a quick nod of his head in agreement, she settled back, relaxing a little. Helo wouldn't let Lee do any more damage to the pilot. She'd done enough on her own.

Lee made his way over to Karl, who stood waiting outside what he assumed was Jolly's berth in sickbay. Before drawing back the curtain, Lee held out his hand, "I hope you'll accept my apology. I shouldn't have punched you."

Helo took the Captain's hand, shaking it. "It's forgotten, sir." He nodded his head in the direction of the closed curtain. "Doc's still finishing up in there. The lieutenant won't be doing much talking." At Lee's questioning glance, Helo added, "His jaw is being wired shut. It's broken." It was horrible, but the tension drained from Lee at Helo's words.

He smiled ruefully. "Kara told me I should get a look at the other guy. Guess she wasn't kidding." Good for her. Lee should have known she would handle herself and come out on top. She usually did.

Cottle drew back the curtain. "He's all yours, Captain." Lighting a cigarette, he mumbled around the edges. "For whatever that's worth. The lieutenant won't be talking for at least six weeks. Stitches won't come out for another week." He shrugged his shoulder and stalked down the corridor.

Lee's startled face had Helo explaining. "Ten stitches from Kara's head meeting up with Weatherby's. Broken jaw from the third punch to the face." Feeling like he owed Lee an explanation, he started to add more, but Lee held up his hand to stop him.

"Not necessary, Karl. I've got a pretty good visual of how it went down. Fast and ugly." His hand rested on the curtain. "Come in with me and see what we can get out of the Lieutenant?" Helo gave a quick shake of his head and Lee exhaled a deep breath, glad the other man would be witness so he wasn't tempted to make Jolly have additional stitches.

Sweeping the curtain back, Lee entered the berth with Helo on his heels. His face stern, he addressed Jolly. "Lieutenant, it's time we got a few things straightened out…"

FIN


	14. Chapter 14

Originally posted: July 31, 2006

PART 14

Two days later Lee sat in a place of honor, Kara by his side, as his father gave a moving speech leading up to promotions for Kara and him, Captain and Major, respectively. He had difficulty focusing on the words coming from the Commander, his mind on the last 48 hours. Losing a pilot was always a blow and Jolly was no exception. The fact he wasn't lost in battle made it harder for Lee to deal with, it was a failure in his eyes and it made the meritorious promotion seem out of place. But as he let his mind drift back, he didn't think he could have handled things any other way.

Upon entering Marcus's alcove, it turned out Lee wasn't going to need Helo to keep him in check. He'd taken one look at the man with his jaw wired shut and big purple bruises coloring the entire left side of his face and ditched his anger at the door…so to speak. Kara was okay and it was more important to ferret out the root of Weatherby's issues than it was to berate him for attacking a fellow officer. Not that Lee would ever forget the incident, but duty came first and male posturing could wait.

To his credit, Marcus shot a guilty look at both men. He'd had some time to calm down and he knew it wasn't going to go well for him. Losing control with the woman he felt was responsible for a great deal of the fleet's troubles had felt good…for about 15 seconds. Tangling with her was something he planned to never do again. Not to mention both men who stood in front of him would make it their life's work to hunt him down and carve him into tiny pieces should he ever let stupidity rule the day again. As far as he was concerned whatever they threw at him, he deserved for losing it in the first place.

They read the initial charges to Lt. Weatherby and gave him fifteen minutes to collect his thoughts for a full inquest into his actions. Lee used the time wisely and sent Helo to gather a few items he wanted to use. He checked on Kara who was sleeping per Cottle's orders, a patch fastened to her forehead to monitor any changes she might experience due to the concussion.

Helo returned and after a brief consultation with Lee outlining what he planned, they entered Jolly's alcove again. Two stools were sitting at the head of the bed, which they snagged and sat on after handing Marcus a clipboard with a pen attached.

Lee began, knowing Helo would keep him on track if he started to stray from the line of questioning. He asked Marcus to write, in his own words, the details of the altercation as he remembered them. As he wrote, Lee asked the lieutenant a series of yes and no questions that were part of the standard psych evaluation given to all cadets when they enter the academy. Lee had a theory that by asking when Marcus was distracted with writing, he'd get honest answers from him. By the time he was through, Marcus had completed his statement and Lee had a very solid idea that the lieutenant was no longer Colonial military material.

They'd been on the run for months and it seemed they had their first professional casualty to deal with. Weatherby had failed the test, his answers skewed in the high end of being unfit for duty. Lee was sorry to lose a pilot, but not sorry to lose the man. He took Jolly's statement, clipped the test to it and after scribbling his recommendation on the form, handed it off to Helo asking him to deliver it personally to the Commander. He'd get a copy for the XO later.

Looking at Marcus, Lee knew the worst part was coming. He didn't doubt his father would sign off on his recommendation, as much as Adama hated losing people. Once he got a look at the psych evaluation, he wouldn't have a choice. "You won't have to deal with the relaxed regs and other issues you've had anymore, lieutenant." The hopeful look in Jolly's eyes almost made Lee pity him. Almost. "I've recommended you be discharged and released from the military." Marcus's gaze went angry. "I'm also recommending you to see a counselor. You've got some heavy issues to deal with…and you need some guidance." Lee rose from his sitting position and stood by the bed so he could look directly at the soon to be former Lieutenant. "We're all dealing with large amounts of stress…some of us bend and some break." He saw Kara's bruised body in his mind's eye and counted silently to ten before continuing. "You broke, lieutenant. And there's no coming back from it." As much as Lee wanted to turn on his heel and leave…he didn't. He granted Marcus the dignity of a salute…one of the many things the lieutenant had issue with not being done anymore. Marcus Weatherby had tears in his eyes as he saluted the CAG for the final time.

Lee pulled his thoughts back to the ceremony, glancing at Kara, uniform hiding the worst of her bruises and chafing. They hadn't really talked about what happened, he'd been busy and she needed some time to work it through. She knew Jolly wasn't going to be flying anymore and at the moment it was all she cared about. The rest she'd get to in her own time. It had been a weird couple of days for both of them and as the President stepped up to the podium to add her words of praise to the commander's, Lee's mind wandered again.

After dealing with Jolly, Lee checked in with Kara, who had to stay overnight in sickbay per Doc Cottle's orders, then left to meet with his father. The Commander had indeed signed off on Lee's recommendation for Lt. Weatherby, as much as it pained him to do so.

Adama hated to lose anyone…they had so few left who could do what was necessary. He'd spoken with the captain of the Agri-ship and secured a position for Marcus after he completed counseling. Lee had to hand it to his father…he took care of his own. Paperwork ready to go, Lee went back to his quarters and settled in for the night, thankful Kara wasn't hurt worse than she was. But he still dreamed of the ugly purple bruises around her throat while he slept.

Upon rising from a fitful sleep, he headed to life station to see when Kara would be released. Rounding the corner he stumbled upon Dr. Baltar telling Kara he so was glad she was all right while placing a hand on her shoulder that trailed down to grasp her hand. Lee watched and wondered, not for the first time, why Baltar was so interested in Kara. He seemed to be around or in her office frequently and now he was showing up in sickbay…it made him curious what new game Baltar had in mind. Lee didn't entirely trust the man, too shifty for his tastes.

Kara's pointed stare at the doctor's lingering fingers had him quickly removing them to rake nervously through his hair while telling her he looked forward to seeing her back in her office soon. Kara shrugged and looked up, smiling when she noticed Lee reaching her hand out and drawing him to her side where he placed a quick kiss to her forehead before asking if she slept well. Kara completely ignored Baltar, who still lurked, and grabbed Lee's chin pulling him down for a real kiss that lasted until Gaius excused himself, quickly backing out of the alcove.

His retreat made Kara laugh against Lee's lips before saying, "Gods, he's annoying." She grinned, touching the tender injured spot on her lip…it was worth the slight discomfort to send Baltar running. Sliding off the bed, she gave a quick bounce on the balls of her feet. "I'm good to go. Cottle said I might as well wait on you to come by cause he didn't feel like keeping track of where I was going to be." Picking up the yellow discharge paper off the end of the bed, she caught Lee's questioning look. "Something about how he didn't want to stop what he was doing to give you the rundown of my schedule." She shoved the curtain back and started down the corridor as Lee chuckled then followed, mind going back to the visit from the Vice President, another odd feeling creeping up on him.

Catching up to Kara, he decided not to ignore it this time. "What was our esteemed Cylon expert needing from you this morning?" He wasn't sure why it bugged him but it did.

Kara rolled her eyes. "Just to see how 'the fierce lieutenant' was doing. Apparently scuttlebutt has it that Jolly went ape shit and tried to kill me." She shook her head and sighed. "That's so far from what actually happened." It wasn't a secret that she didn't have time for idiots, but it was more than that with Weatherby. He'd snapped and although he blamed her for everything, she knew she'd only been the closest target when he'd finally lost it.

Lee nodded, even though it was difficult for him to do so. She had a point and just because he didn't like it didn't mean he couldn't see it…but he'd had a feeling that day and he had one now. He wasn't going to let it slide.

He stopped her before she headed to 'C' deck. "Look Kara, maybe it's what happened with Jolly, maybe it's still too close for me, but our good Dr. Baltar has a thing for you and it makes me nervous." He braced himself for what he thought was coming.

Kara snorted, but she knew where Lee was coming from so she simply said. "He's an ass, Lee." Like she would give him the time of day if she didn't have to.

Lee agreed. "He's an ass that won't take a hint." That was the part that made him unsettled. They'd been together for a while and the smarmy 'doctor' still tried to get a leg up with her.

Kara waved off his statement, unconcerned. "Come on, he's harmless." And weird, and strange, and any number of other adjectives she could think of, but a problem? She doubted it. "What's your issue with him?" After everything that had happened with Jolly, she didn't want to completely write Lee off as being jealous, but she wasn't entirely sure where his head was on this.

Lee couldn't explain why he didn't care for Baltar; it was just an odd feeling. "I'm not sure…he's such a slimy bastard." And he persisted on inserting himself in Kara's orbit…even when she'd never shown more than a passing interest in him…and that was before they'd hooked up on a somewhat permanent basis. "And I don't trust him." Any farther than he could throw him…but again…there was nothing to really give him a reason why.

Kara could tell Lee didn't have any answers, so she took a mildly sarcastic tone, "Jeez, he's the Vice President of the Colonies," her fingers made air quotes as she said the words, "duly voted in by the people of the fleet…what's not to trust?" Her eyes grew big and her lips quirked sideways in an attempt to show Lee exactly what she thought of the 'office' of Vice President.

Shrugging his shoulders, Lee laughed at the silliness. "Don't know. There's just something very strange about him." He added for good measure, "Even the President thinks he's a little out there."

Kara got serious again. "Okay. I'll accept that." She looked at Lee squarely, meeting his eyes, "but you don't really think I can't handle him, do you?" Maybe he wasn't confident that she could take care of herself anymore.

Okay…that was a loaded question if he ever heard one. Pondering carefully before answering, he said truthfully, "It's not that I don't think you can't handle him. Physically…you'd mop the floor with him." She was more than capable of taking care of the weasely little man. "No…it's more like I don't like the feeling I get when he's around you." When she smirked at him, he went on the defensive, "It's not just a jealousy thing, Kara. I'm telling you…it's a creepy kind of feeling, like he's just waiting for an opportunity to present itself." And that was it…what was bothering him.

Lee was secure in his relationship with Kara, but the look in Baltar's eyes when they came to rest on her was almost possessive, not even he looked at her like that. She wasn't something to be possessed. "All I'm saying is…stay alert when he's around." For good measure, he tacked on, "Please." When she narrowed her eyes finally realizing he was serious, she nodded and he let out a relieved sigh.

They parted ways, going about their daily routines then met back at their quarters to find the memo regarding the promotion ceremony…something neither was expecting. Lee was being promoted in recognition of his actions on the Redeemer; Kara's promotion was long overdue, her extra responsibilities as instructor in addition to her continued flight rotations warranted her new status. It was sobering, given the events that occurred recently…but both felt pride at the new recognition.

Kara nudged Lee's arm, bringing him back to the present so they could stand and be presented with their new ranks. She quirked a grin in his direction as her eyes met his startled ones. She knew he was distracted so she had his back.

The President and the Commander pinned their insignia on their collars then presented them to the rest of the crew whose wild applause and cheers were met with genuinely happy smiles. It was standard practice for the galley to prepare a celebratory dinner for promotion ceremonies so the couple mingled with the rest of the crew for a few hours. It did both a world of good to be around the lighthearted banter of the pilots and crewman.

Lee was standing away from the crowd, observing the antics of Hot Dog and Kat when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to find Racetrack hovering behind him, a hesitant look on her face. He smiled at her even as he quirked an eyebrow in question.

Margaret had something important to discuss with Lee and figured now was a good time to broach the subject. It was loud and noisy so she should be able to say what she needed to without worrying about being overheard. She took a deep breath then began, "Capt—I mean Major Adama, " She lifted her eyes toward the ceiling at her mistake, the new rank was going to take some getting used to, "If you have a moment?" She stepped back again, somewhat in the shadows, waiting for his response.

At first Lee grinned at her use of the previous rank then his eyes narrowed a little at her action of stepping back. Racetrack wasn't known for being shy or retiring. It was almost like she was hiding from something. That set off warning bells in Lee's mind. "Lieutenant, what can I do for you?" He'd made a promise to himself to be more available to his pilots after Jolly's dismissal. Looked like he was getting a chance to do that now.

Maggie looked around briefly before she got to her point. "Major, I'd like to ask a favor of you and I'd appreciate your discretion since I'm not really comfortable asking." She leaned a little closer to Lee so she could keep her voice pitched low.

Lee nodded his promise to her. "You have it." He took in her pained expression and wondered if he'd missed something else important that was going on with one of his pilots. "Should we go somewhere else?" If they needed privacy, this wasn't the place for it.

Racetrack quickly shook her head, "Um, no. Really. Here's just fine." She didn't want to draw any undue attention to herself right now. He would understand momentarily. "I've been having some trouble with a technician in the armory station." She hated that she needed to ask for help, wished she could go to someone else, but Captain Thrace was out of the question…they didn't really get along that well. Trouble at the Triad tables between herself and Kara hadn't been forgotten by either of them. Major Adama was the only other person she felt she could go to, as she didn't consider the Commander an option.

She took another steadying breath before continuing. "Reilly Jameson has been on me for months to go out with him. I finally caved and we took our last liberty together." A small shudder went through her at the memory.

Lee noticed it and commented. "I take it things didn't go well?" His curiosity was now piqued. Racetrack didn't have problems with expressing herself, loudly and quickly, when necessary.

Margaret rolled her eyes. "You could say that, sir." Things hadn't gone anywhere close to well, but Reilly didn't hold the same opinion. "I was very clear when we returned that another pass together was out of the question. He didn't take the news well." In point of fact, he didn't take the news at all. He firmly believed she'd be going with him two weeks from now when he had his next leave rotation.

But she wasn't and she hated that she felt the need to ask for help, but with what Starbuck had just been through, it gave her pause. She wasn't comfortable approaching the Captain, the new rank making it that much more of a challenge. So she was asking the Major, if she ever got around to spilling it.

Lee was confused. Used to Kara's shoot from the hip style, he was struggling a little with the conversation. He worked out that Lt. Edmondson had something she needed from him, but he was damned if he knew what it was. Deciding to wait and see, he crossed his arms and gave Racetrack his full attention.

Maggie filled Lee in on her disastrous time with the armory tech. Reilly was somewhat nice and she was really bored so she'd gone with him to break up the monotony. It's not like he was rude or anything, he was just very insistent on controlling everything they did during their pass and it was too much for her. Every suggestion she made was steamrolled over by Jameson and they ended up doing exactly what he'd wanted the entire time.

At first, Margaret let it slide, as she was too excited to get some leave time to have an overly eager guy ruin it for her. But as time wore on, she started getting frustrated with the technician's controlling nature but again she wrote it off as just not knowing him that well. He was attractive, big and blond, just the way she liked them. This brought a rueful grin to Lee's face and Racetrack sheepishly admitted her shallow side kicked in and she was only along for the ride at that point.

Lee chuckled, but sobered quickly as a thought struck him. "Lieutenant, Jameson didn't force you to do something you didn't want to, did he?" He still felt a little out of depth, but was determined to help the Raptor pilot any way he could.

Maggie quickly shook her head, "No. No sir." She almost wished that were the case. "I wanted to let off some steam…hell…I needed to let off some steam." She shrugged her shoulders, "It had been a while, sir. And he was hot." Realizing whom she was talking to, Racetrack wished she could take back the words, but Lee's quick bark of laughter, put her at ease. "Sorry, sir. More information than you really needed, but he didn't do anything I didn't want him to." And that was the bitch of it. The sex had been great…too bad everything else had sucked. Maggie didn't plan on repeating the experience, not even for incredible sex. Now she just needed to make sure she could convince Reilly she'd meant what she'd said.

Lee had a better idea of where the conversation was going now. "So…are you concerned Jameson will try to make more out of the trip than he should?" From her description of the technician, he was worried about it.

Racetrack nodded. "Yes, sir. He's certain I'll be going with him on his next leave." She sighed heavily. "I won't be going…at least not voluntarily this time." She didn't even have to mention the episode with Jolly, Lee had lived through it and knew exactly what she meant by her words. "He's just creeping me out a little with his insistence that I'll cave and go with him." She wasn't going to give in and his reaction to that was what had her concerned. They all needed to be more wary of stress related breakdowns. The fleet had been very lucky that more crewmen hadn't buckled under the strain.

Lee nodded his understanding. "What can I do to help, Lieutenant?" Unfortunately her options were fairly limited. Reilly hadn't done anything to warrant going on report, as creeping someone out wasn't an offense that could be written up. He might have to have a conversation with his father about preventative measures in situations like this…they didn't need another Jolly on their hands.

This was the part Margaret felt the most uncomfortable about, so she plunged right in. "I want you to help me brush up on my hand-to-hand skills." She glanced at him quickly before continuing, "But I don't want everyone knowing about it. Especially Reilly." Scuttlebutt on a battleship traveled faster than most wireless transmissions throughout the fleet. She couldn't bear having everyone whispering about her, or worse yet, placing bets on whom she planned to do battle with.

Lee was slightly stunned, he ran a refresher class when he had time, but he didn't do one on ones. "I'm sorry…you want to do this on the QT?" Lots of things crashed through his mind…he understood where Maggie was coming from, he lived with a woman who had an intense need to keep things private, but there were so many reasons why wrong was blaring through his head…not the least of which was Kara's reaction if he didn't tell her why he was disappearing at odd times during the day.

Maggie sensed he wasn't going to help her. "Please, sir." She wasn't above using whatever it took. "If Starbuck can have a close call…any of us could." Her gut told her that Reilly could be another Marcus Weatherby and she really didn't care if she had to play dirty pool to feel a modicum of safety.

Lee let out a small sigh knowing he was going to train her, already accepting it was going to find a way to bite him in the ass. "All right, Lieutenant." His schedule ran through his mind, "Let's meet day after tomorrow, 0500, in the training room." Probably not the wisest decision he's ever made, but if he could help one of his pilots, he was going to do so.

Racetrack bobbed her head in acknowledgment then left before he could change his mind, leaving Lee free to make his way over to Kara, who was chatting with Kat and Hot Dog. They'd put in a long enough appearance and he wanted to spend some time with her and hopefully get her to talk about the experience with Marcus.

Walking up behind her, he flung an arm over her shoulder before whispering in her ear. "Ready to cut loose and head home?" His hand dropped to her hip as he waited for her answer.

Kara grinned. "Thought you'd never ask." She flipped a wave to the two pilots and wrapped her arm around his waist. "And look…we don't have far to go," An impish smile curled on her face as she added with emphasis, "Major." She undogged the hatch of their quarters and stepped into the main room.

Lee rolled his head back and groaned. "You know, _Captain_…" His arms went around her as he pulled her to him, "two can play at that game." His head tilted down as his lips snagged hers in a kiss. After his conversation with Racetrack, his brain was spinning and he had a serious need for Kara's brand of comfort.

Her lip still tender from the fight with Marcus, Kara pulled away but dropped her mouth to Lee's neck running her tongue along the smooth skin. She glanced up with a sultry look and started backing him toward the bedroom, undoing his shirt along the way. Her uniform was undone and by the time they reached the bed both were shirtless.

Lee's eyes were pained as his fingers tenderly traced around Kara's bruises with a whisper touch. Sitting her on the edge of the bed, he knelt on the floor and gently kissed the purple black skin of each contusion. Kara's fingers twined through his hair as she let out a soft sigh, relishing the comfort his lips brought. They both needed this she thought as she leaned back, hands drifting sensuously over his shoulders before her head landed softly on the pillows.

Lee took the hint, crawling slowly up on the bed until he settled down beside her. His palm splayed across her tummy for a moment before his fingers drifted down to her pants. Slowly working open the buttons, his mouth dropped to the closest breast, tongue teasing her nipple. Buttons undone, his hand slid under the fabric drifting down to cup the panty-covered wetness between her legs.

Kara's hips dipped at the contact and her impatient hands shoved the material down so she could wriggle the pants off. Lee's lips found the other peak of her breast and placed an open-mouthed kiss along the side, pulling a groan from her. She shifted her position, instinctively going for the buttons of Lee's pants, making short work of getting them undone.

Neither was in a hurry, both careful of each other's sore spots. Lee's side was dressing-free, but the wound still had an angry scar that wasn't fully healed. Kara's hand lightly skimmed over the area before resting on his hips, drawing him over her to settle between her legs.

Since Kara's upper torso and face bore the brunt of her altercation, Lee feathered whisper kisses along her bruised chin before raising his head to look down at her. He caught the grimace of distaste that crossed her features as she got a glimpse of her discolored skin.

She rolled her eyes a little. "Sure am pretty aren't I?" Her eyes slid back to meet Lee's. Not a vain person by nature, she still hated the way it looked like she'd been hit by a Raptor.

She was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen, banged up or not and Lee told her so. "The bruises are ugly, you're not." He kissed her forehead before adding, "And besides…you took care of it and came out on top." Jolly's broken jaw was testament to that fact.

Kara's breath caught in her throat as she remembered Weatherby's hands pressing against her throat while she fought for air. Her eyes closed at the memory as she muttered, "Yeah, well…he got his licks in." She reached up to switch off the bedside lamp but Lee gently stopped her.

Looking down at her, concern etched on his face, he asked, "Are you okay?" When she gave a quick nod, he narrowed his eyes, "Really okay?" Even though he'd love nothing more than to be buried inside her, it was more important to him that she talk out her feelings if she needed to.

Kara really was fine, with the exception of that one, brief flash of not being able to breathe. Her hands slid down to Lee's ass, urging him forward. "I'd be better than okay if you'd quit talking and start frakking." She might be jesting in word, but her eyes told him the only she needed to be truly all right was him.

Lee grinned down at her, "In that case, allow me." Sliding inside her, he started slowly, mindful of his healing injury. To test his limits, he picked up the pace a little and when he didn't suffer any twinges he settled into an easy, leisurely rhythm that soon had them both teetering on the edge.

Lee's smooth strokes let the pleasure build slowly, but Kara wanted to hit the elusive pinnacle. Her legs wrapped around his waist to hold him close to her, shortening the length of his withdrawals, making his pelvis bump against her sweet spot. Her hips rose off the bed and Lee's hand moved to hold them firm as she grinded against him finally plunging over the peak and shattering around him.

He watched as her stomach contracted and her head thrashed on the pillow then let go and broke with her. His breath came out in harsh gasps and the world went black for a moment but while he crashed out of control, he had the presence of mind to fall over to the side instead of on top of Kara. There was only a slight pulling sensation in his side, which he thought was totally worth it as his head hit the pillow while he sucked in air to refill his heaving lungs.

Slowly untangling himself from Kara, he moved gingerly onto his non-injured side and drew her against him. Pressing kisses to her temple, he smoothed her hair out of her face. "Don't know about you, but that definitely cured what ailed me." Her peal of laughter had him grinning against her head. She really was going to be okay.

Turning in Lee's arms, Kara winked at him before saying, "You know…I'm not so sure it did the trick. I may need another dose of this in the morning." Her lips caught his in a quick kiss before he had a chance to comeback with anything.

Lee's tongue darted out and he sucked in his lower lip at the joking insult. "Is that right?" His eyebrow rose as she nodded her head, wide grin on her face. "Guess I'd better rest up then." He reached over her to switch off the lamp before settling back down.

Kara snuggled in beside him, draping an arm over his chest. "Lee…" She waited for his answering murmur before adding softly, "Love you." His arm tightened around her as her eyes drifted closed.

FIN


	15. Chapter 15

Originally posted: August 3, 2006

PART 15

Lee left sickbay after getting the all clear from Cottle. He was good to go for light workouts; no heavy lifting yet, but his training classes could resume. He'd already been meeting with Racetrack for the past week and a half, spotting her while she worked to build more upper body strength.

His next workout with her was later in the day, so he headed for quarters to finish up some paperwork before moving back into the office; he'd been given the okay for that also. Another two weeks and he'd be cleared for Raptor flights, 4 more and he'd be back in a Viper. He missed it, but getting caught up on other things wasn't bad.

Upon entering his shared quarters, he noticed a stack of fitness reports on the desk indicating Kara was home. She must have decided to work on the files later. He ducked into the bedroom where he found her curled up on the bed, dead to the world.

Smiling, he watched her sleep, relishing the stolen moment. They'd been pulling in some crazy hours lately, so he wasn't surprised to see her napping. Her class was almost ready for flight roster status with veteran pilots and things would slow down for her in about a week. He'd have to clear some time so they could go off ship for a couple of days. Someplace where the alert wouldn't sound and wake them up even when they weren't on duty. Maybe he could finagle something on Cloud Nine…its captain was a great guy, from Lee remembered.

Kara looked so peaceful and although the paperwork was calling, Lee opted to crawl into bed with her. They rarely had time for stuff like that and he thought they needed to start making it. He lifted up the light throw and spooned up against her before tucking it back around them. Not five minutes later, he was down for the count himself.

He woke up to Kara's lips tickling his stomach. She'd worked his shirts up and was feathering little kisses up his torso. Lee's hand dropped to her head, fingers plying the golden strands as he murmured, "I'd like to wake up like this more often." He stretched out his legs while Kara lifted his shirts over his head. "Cottle gave me the all clear." Her answering grin had him reaching for her clothes, fingers sliding the zipper down on her sweatshirt then pushing it off her shoulders.

Kara slid down the bed, leaning over to brush her lips over Lee's scar while her hands worked at his fastenings. "Gotta love that." She dragged his pants down then stood up and shed hers. "So…anything goes?" Crawling up the bed, she paused at his midsection, glancing up at him with a wicked gleam in her eye as her tongue flicked out to wet her lips.

Lee could only nod as he sucked in a breath, waiting with anticipation for what he hoped was coming. Kara's bottom lip was tugged between her teeth and released slowly as she shifted position turning to straddle Lee, facing away from him. Knees brushing his waist, her hands lifted his cock while her head descended to engulf him with her mouth just as he flicked his tongue out to taste her.

Both groaned, greedily continuing to pleasure each other. Careening wildly, they pushed themselves to the limit, lips and tongues working in tandem to match each other's pace. Both close to breaking, Kara moved forward sliding over Lee's shaft taking him in deep before bringing her legs forward for leverage.

Lee sat up, wrapping an arm around her waist, using the other for balance. Moving his hips in time with hers, fingers splayed across her belly before moving down to rub over her clit, Lee held back until she tightened around him, head thrown back on his shoulder as she came apart. Surging up inside her again, it was his turn to loose control and break, breathing harshly against her skin as he collapsed back against the pillows.

Kara fell back with him and as he softened she moved off to the side. Turning and lowering her head, her lips capturing his in a lingering kiss that lasted until they were both in control once more. Settling down against him, she kissed his chest. "Not that it hasn't been great…but something about Cottle giving the all clear…" She glanced up at him with a smile, "…I don't know…just makes it better somehow."

Lee chuckled. "I think it's the not worrying I'll tear up something I may need later." His hand went to her head, gently massaging. "Which would have only delayed things even longer." Thank the gods, that wasn't the case anymore.

She laughed lightly before sitting up. "And we don't want that." Scooting to the end of the bed, she rose and gathered up her clothes.

Lee sat up also, watching as she dressed. "I noticed the fitness reports. You working on those here?" He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood, walking over to grab his workout gear.

While Lee dressed, Kara sat on the edge of the bed, watching him this time. "Thought I would." She dragged her fingers through her hair, scraping it back off her face. "With the nuggets getting close to roster status, they're making me nuts…constantly popping in to check the fitness reps." Rolling her eyes, she wound a hair band around a messy ponytail then stood. "I've already threatened to shove anyone who dares to come here out the nearest airlock…so I should be able to get them done."

She took in the clothes Lee was dressed in. "Heading for a workout?" It wouldn't surprise her; he'd been going a little stir crazy with the inactivity. Other than when they'd been physical, Lee had no true outlet when frustration took over. He'd snapped a lot of pencils over the last couple of weeks.

Lee walked over, pausing to kiss her briefly before entering the living space, "Not sure yet, I've paperwork to finish up, but I'll take it to the office." He was scheduled with Lt Edmondson, but didn't know if he'd actually be getting any time in himself. "Cottle said I could start working my regular shifts. Might as well start now." He gathered up a stack of files to take with him. "Besides, you'll need the space if you're working on fit reps here." Watching her grin because he was right lit him up inside. "Catch up with you later?" He stepped out the door to her nod of acquiescence.

Three hours later, Lee was in the workout room spotting Maggie on her first set of reps on the weight bench. He didn't see Baltar as he peeked in the room with a calculating gleam in his eye. As Racetrack moved on through the next set, they both missed the smirk and Gaius literally danced himself away from the door. It wasn't the first time the genius had seen them in the workout area together and now that he thought he'd figured things out, he couldn't wait to find a way to use it.

When Maggie finished the conditioning exercises, she grabbed a towel to wipe down her dripping face. Major Adama was a tough instructor, but he was amicable if not friendly and she felt more confident already. Still struggling with having to ask for his help, she planned to listen carefully and get the moves she needed down as quickly as possible. She was packing up her gear when Lee stopped her with a question, asking if she was ready to try some one-on-one.

Here eyes flew open in surprise. "Really?" She laughed excitedly. "Today?"

Lee grinned. It felt good to have the adrenaline pumping. "I got the go ahead from Cottle this morning." He walked onto the mat beckoned for Maggie to follow him. "Let's give this a go."

At the same time, after finishing the fitness reps, Kara decided to take them to her office to get them out of the way. She chuckled as she gathered up the files…Lee had been right, she'd spread them out all over the place. Exiting quarters, she walked across the hangar deck noting the open door of the CAG's office and darkened interior. Lee must be in the gym. She had a feeling he wouldn't be able to resist.

Making her way to 'C' Deck, she decided she'd stop in after she dropped off the files. As she reached her office, Baltar popped out of his lab with a wave and Kara wondered, not for the first time, if he ever did actual work at any time. And why he always seemed to have so much time on his hands. You'd think he'd find some Vice Presidential to do during downtime. Never seemed to be the case, though.

Unlocking her door, she nodded curtly in his direction, hoping he wouldn't cross the corridor so they could 'chat'. No such luck. She'd barely stepped into her office before he was on her heels asking if he could help her with anything.

Blowing out a sigh of resignation, she replied. "Not really." She crossed to her desk, laying the files down making a snap decision to file them later so she could cut the conversation short. "I'm heading down to the gym to find Lee. Cottle cleared him for light workouts today." She made her way to the door, standing expectantly, waiting for him to leave.

Gaius decided to play it cool. "How wonderful for the Major." Mind working quickly, he debated whether or not to say anything about his stealth reconnaissance of the CAG. He went for it. "Doctor Cottle just cleared him, you say?" It took everything he had to keep the joy out of his voice. "I wondered when I saw him with…oh…what's her name…Raptor pilot…lovely girl." Snapping his fingers as if he couldn't remember the name. "Racecar…no…Racetrack." He'd attempted a mild flirtation with her, but she didn't go for it. Another reason to play this particular trump card.

Kara's eyes narrowed. "Racetrack?" He hadn't mentioned working out with anyone, not that it made any difference. They probably just hit the gym at the same time.

Baltar turned smug. "Why yes. I've seen them together numerous times over the past week or so." To contain his glee, he shoved his hands in his pockets before continuing. "But you said Doctor Cottle just cleared him, so I'm wondering why they would have been meeting." Her confused look was all he needed to add. "Oh…you didn't know he was meeting with her?" He stepped back a little, practically dancing with excitement, certain an explosion was eminent.

Kara wondered the same thing, but his smugness made her refuse to jump to conclusions. "I'm sure if Lee is 'meeting' with Lt Edmondson, there's a reason." And she knew there was…she just didn't know why Lee wouldn't say anything about it.

She'd had enough of Baltar for today. "Thanks, Doc. I'll have to ask him when I see him." Raising her eyebrows in question, she effectively asked why he was still standing there.

Deflated, Baltar gave it one more shot. "I'm sure there's a perfectly logical explanation as to why the major has been meeting with the lieutenant. I'm sure he has a good reason for not mentioning it." He gave a wave as he backed out of her office, smiling warmly if somewhat in disappointment that she once again didn't react the way he expected.

Kara's brief glance in his direction was all he got in the way of a farewell. She locked her office and headed for the gym. Verification was needed before she flew off the handle at Lee for keeping something else from her.

Margaret had sweat pouring off her, but she thought she was getting the hang of everything. The moves she hadn't used since basic training were coming back to her, but her technique was sloppy…as she was being told once again.

Lee shook his head moving his out of his stance. "Don't square up. You have to stay loose or you'll hurt yourself not the opponent." He showed her again how she should be holding herself.

Maggie nodded in understanding. "Okay. Right." She was getting tired, but wanted to get this last move down before stopping for the day.

Lee got back into position then told her, "Go." She stayed relaxed and when he went for the grab, she neatly tossed him on his back. He sucked in a breath, side zinging a little, but smiled up at her. "That's it. Perfect job." Grabbing her hand, he took the assist up.

Racetrack preened. "I can't thank you enough." She figured one or two more sessions and she'd feel confident enough to handle anything Reilly might throw at her, if he threw anything at her. Peace of mind went a long way in her book.

Lee's hand went to his side, rubbing gently at the twinge. "I need to call it a day. Cottle said light workouts and I plan to listen." He grabbed a towel and mopped his face. "You're doing great here. One, maybe two more workouts and I think you'll be in top form." His schedule ran through his mind as he tried to figure out the next time they could meet. "I think day after tomorrow will be good, if you can make it."

Margaret nodded. "0500? I know it's early, but I have transport runs to make all day." She really wanted to get the last couple of sessions done. Reilly's next leave was coming up in a few days.

The time worked for Lee. "0500's fine. We can finish up the next day, I have an early shift in CIC, but we could meet in the afternoon." He slung his towel around his neck, waiting for her to calculate the time.

Racetrack would have to trade a maintenance shift with someone, but she had at least two people who owed her. "That works for me. I have to juggle my schedule, but I don't see a problem." Gathering up her equipment, she told him again. "I really appreciate it, Major." She just missed seeing Kara back away from the door.

Lee didn't see her either so he fell into step beside Maggie. "I'm glad to help. I really don't want a repeat of what happened to Starbuck, but you should be able to handle anything that comes your way." He still needed to have a conversation with the commander about preventing stress related incidents.

Saying farewell, they parted ways at the causeway, with Margaret heading back to pilots' quarters and Lee making his way home.

Kara had ducked out before Lee's last words, hearing enough to know nothing illicit was going on contrary to what Baltar tried to imply. She knew that Lee had been meeting with Racetrack and that he hadn't told her, though. Torn between exasperation with Gaius and anger at Lee, she paced the living space of their quarters racking her brain trying to figure out why men were so blessedly stupid sometimes, getting more and more pissed at Lee for, yet again, keeping something from her. And it was such a nothing that she just couldn't figure out why he'd not said a word to her.

She could feel her temper boiling, realized it was dumb, but had no control over it. They'd been together for months, known each other for years, and Lee knew she hated being kept in the dark. He'd made a point to tell her about Helo right after surgery…why would he keep something from her now? She highly doubted he was under orders to do so this time. And the more she thought about it, the angrier she grew.

Blowing out a couple of deep breaths, she made herself calm down. She could be rational about this. Wait for Lee, ask him about it, listen to his answer. Simple. But it wouldn't be simple if she didn't get a handle on the anger.

Okay. She trusted him. He had to have a reason for not telling her he'd been working out with Racetrack. But it better be a damn good reason. Stop it. She had to keep it under control. Pacing again, she took a few more calming breaths and rolled her shoulders to ease the tension she'd let build. Coming to a stop, she closed her eyes, praying for some patience…unable to really pinpoint why she was boiling mad, but recognizing that she was. It seemed to help, she felt the pressure ease, so she kept her eyes closed and focused on how to discuss Lee keeping something else from her. Calm and rational, she'd be both she could do it.

When she opened her eyes it was to see Lee standing at the hatch, watching her with concern on his face. Not a bad thing for him…to be concerned. She smiled faintly as he stepped through the hatch, an almost cold calm settling over her.

Before he could ask her if she was all right, Kara asked sweetly. "Get all the paperwork done?" She turned away as she felt her temper rising again.

Lee sat his bag on the floor. "Yep. All finished." Something was off with her, he just didn't know what yet. "Even had time to get in a workout." He stayed back a little; trying to gauge what was going on.

Kara nodded with a little huff. "Yeah?" She turned back to face him. "Who with?"

Claxons went off in Lee's head, but he'd made a promise so he answered with a simple, "No one in particular…just a workout." He watched her shoulders tense slightly, heart sinking. Frak.

She leveled her gaze on him. "You sure about that?" Her jaw clenched to stop from saying anything else.

Lee knew she knew whom he'd been working out with, but he was in a spot. He'd keep his word to Margaret to not provide details. Knowing she'd be pissed either way, he asked baldly. "Is this a game where I have to guess the correct answer." He stood his ground, waiting for the onslaught.

Kara replied shortly. "Nope." Staring at Lee, all her anger welled to the surface, ready to froth over the top.

Sighing, Lee glanced down. He had a feeling it was about to get ugly. "What is it then?" Meeting her gaze, face passive, he braced himself for a tirade.

Kara spun away from him, mad that he wasn't engaging. That would change. "It's you telling me half-truths and thinking you'll get away with it." Turning again, she shot out. "We're on a Battlestar, Lee…nothing stays secret for long." Knowing she sounded totally irrational, Kara didn't seem to be able to keep herself from seething.

Lee's eyebrow rose. "Are you accusing me of something?" Dammit. He hated this, he should just tell her and be done with it. Margaret only had two more sessions to go. But her flying off the handle had his back up, and a promise was a promise. And as much as he hated to admit it…Starbuck would use it at a later date if she felt the need to do so.

Kara stared at him, mouth hanging open. "Do I have to?" Her nostrils flared as she inhaled a deep breath. "Or do you think now might be a good time to fill me in?" An urge to slug him was rapidly developing, but she fought it back.

Lee watched her grapple with her temper. It killed him, but he shrugged. "There's nothing to fill." Looking her squarely in the eye, he added, "You'd be the first to know if there was." And she would be…he just wasn't in a position to do so at the moment.

Kara snorted loudly. "Is that right?" Her hands went to her hips as she continued, "The first. You sure about that?" Hell, Baltar knew before she did in this case.

Obviously he wasn't supposed to be. "I just said it, didn't I?" He got that she was less than thrilled with him, but she rarely freaked out like she was currently.

Kara opened her mouth to retort but shut it again. Sighing deeply, she all but growled, "Okay, then." She moved to brush past him, "We're done here."

Lee caught her arm as she tried to pass him. "Are we?" He spun her to face him. "I don't think so, Kara." Letting go of her, he added, "You've obviously got more to say." And he meant for her to say every bit of it. He'd be damned if they dragged this out for days, they were past acting that way. At least he thought they were.

Kara's eyes went hard and flat. She hated being backed up against a wall, but he asked for it. _Ready_. "You're lying, Lee." She took a calming breath. _Aim_. "No. Check that…you're holding back the truth…" And keeping her in the dark, like a child. _Fire_. "Just like you did with Helo." Looking at him point blank, she queried. "Who were you working out with, Lee?"

Feeling she had a right to rant, Lee was with her until she hit the part about Helo. She was over the line with that one, but he chose to focus on the true issue. "You already know it was Racetrack." He met her eyes, knowing this wasn't about jealousy…but wondering where the heat of her anger was coming from.

Kara rolled her eyes. "No shit. And you couldn't just tell me?" She was starting to wonder herself, why it irritated her so much that Lee hadn't said anything. It wasn't as if Racetrack was any kind of competition, she knew that implicitly. Maggie may grate on her nerves, but she wasn't after Lee…Kara could see that on her own when she'd spied them in the gym. There was zero sexual tension going on in that room.

Sighing again, Lee knew Kara wouldn't understand this…not in the mood she was in. He ventured forth, anyway. "I made a promise…so no, I couldn't tell you." His own ire rising because she wouldn't just let it go and trust that he had a good reason for not saying anything.

Kara shook her head incredulously. "So that's great. You're working out with Racetrack, one-on-one, and it's super secret…because you made a promise?" She paced back and forth for a minute before continuing. "What am I supposed to think here, Lee?" Her blood was boiling and it shocked her a little. She should be listening to him instead of heaping more on.

Frustration setting in, Lee started his own measured walk. "Maybe you could trust that I gave my word to someone for a reason and can't break it." He stopped, deciding he'd had enough. "And that's all I'm going to say about it." Leveling his own blue gaze on her, he stated. "You either trust me or you don't. When I give my word, I won't break it." He threw his arm out for emphasis, "It's obvious you saw us…did it look like anything was going on between us?" Knowing it didn't, because there wasn't, he couldn't wait to see what came out of her mouth next.

Kara shook her head. "No…but you're missing my point." Gods, he couldn't be any more obtuse if he tried.

Her point? What the hell was her point? "Which is what exactly? You know there's nothing going on." How did this end up being about Racetrack in the first place?

Kara cocked her head to the side, looking at Lee with something akin to suspicion. "I thought I did." Maybe he was being a little too vehement in his own defense.

She thought she did? Son of a bitch…there's no way she could possibly think he had something going on with Margaret. Hell…they'd just been given the all clear; up to that point sex had been slow and careful between them. Exactly how was he supposed to have been frakking two women at the same time? And why the hell would she even remotely consider that he would?

Making a choking sound in the back of his throat, Lee grated out, "You're kidding right? You don't seriously think I've got something going on the side with Racetrack, do you?" This…coming from Kara, whose long lost friend Helo was almost a constant companion with her?

Lee knew in his soul there wasn't anything but friendship between them, but he turned the tables on her. "If that's the case…do I need to dig a little deeper, look a little closer into your relationship with Helo?" Raising an eyebrow, he pushed back harder. "Do I ever say anything about the time you spend with him? I don't…because I don't have too…or didn't think I did."

Rolling her eyes, Kara smirked. "Now you're being an ass, Lee. You know damn well there's nothing but a rock solid friendship between Karl and I." In her irrational state, she completely missed the fact that she'd just countered her own argument.

Getting nowhere, Lee agreed. "Exactly…I do know and so should you." She had the grace to flush at that remark. Heaving another frustrated sigh he added, "And maybe I am being an ass but it's the only way I know to counter you being a stark, raving bitch right now." Breathing harshly, he wanted to take it back as soon as he said it, but her lack of trust cut deep.

Kara's breath hissed out as a muscle in her jaw ticked, but she figured she deserved that one. "Okay." They were both angry and frankly she'd had enough. She was tired of Lee thinking she couldn't handle things, tired of finding things out after the fact. Dragging in a deep breath, she said quietly. "Look…you're holding things back again, word or not, you could have said something when I asked the first time." And that was the kicker, the part that bothered her. He'd made a promise to Margaret that left her out in the dark. She didn't like it because in her mind, he agreed with whatever reason Maggie gave that she shouldn't know that they were meeting. And he talked about trust.

He was still mad, but her point wasn't lost on him…he could have said something. "Kara, I—" The emotions running across her face stopped him. She was always expressive if you looked deep enough…anger, fear, hurt…and resolution. The resolution is what stopped him. How did this end up getting so far?

Emotions churning, Kara wasn't sure why she felt so damn low. She was just tired of it all. They'd come so far, but her head was spinning and she didn't want to deal with it anymore.

Holding up her hand when Lee looked like he would continue, she stated. "No Lee. This is it." She hardened her resolve, deciding she just needed to make a clean break. "We can't do this anymore. I can't do this anymore." She watched the determined gleam hit his eyes and went for the vein. "We're not cut out for the long haul. I mean the sex is good…but we can get that anywhere…" On a roll and starting to believe her own theory, she went on. "It's the day to day crap I'm getting tired of. I'm tired of watching what I say…seeking your approval…working to make you happy." She raised her gaze to his. "I don't want this anymore. I'm not a child…and I won't be treated like one." A huge weight felt like it was lifted off her shoulders. She hadn't realized she felt all that until she'd spoken the words.

Lee stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. "Where the hell is this coming from?" She hadn't lost her mind…he'd lost his. She was so far off the mark; he wondered if he stepped into some alternate universe and he didn't know where to even start. "First…you never watch what you say. Ever. It's part of who you are and no one expects it to change, least of all me." Why would she even think that? Her shoot from the hip style was something he'd admired for a long time. "Second…you've never needed my approval for anything in our personal life…you already had it." It killed him, killed him that she felt she needed his blessing for anything. "And third, Kara, third…I'm already happy with you. I've never expected you to change for me…ever…I love who you are, always have." His voice sad, he went on, "In fact, you make me a better person…why would I want you to change?" His heart sank, as her expression still didn't change. Maybe she was right; they weren't cut out for this. He was done arguing about it. What was the use, since she'd decided they weren't worth it?

He did have one final thing to say to her though, "As for treating you like a child…I've never treated you that way…" He turned away from her, walking to the hatch. Over his shoulder he added, "Even when you're acting like one." With that he undogged the hatch and walked out…not even bothering to close the door.

FIN


	16. Chapter 16

Originally posted: August 11, 2006

PART 16

Two days after Lee left his shared quarters, the ship was abuzz with the news that the CAG was now camping out in his office. Word was going round that a new pool was available…on whether or not he moved back into his former digs.

Lee was oblivious to all of it. His head was trying to wrap around whatever was going on with Kara. The current plan was to give it a couple more days then approach her to see if they could talk like rational humans instead of four year olds. Her words rang in his mind: _I won't be treated like a child_.

Since they'd moved in together, they'd had disagreements, arguments, and a couple of out and out fights. They yelled, shouted, got over it and made up. This time, she'd been totally unlike herself. He was used to her spouting off, blowing up, then laughing about it. Kara wasn't laughing about this.

He'd known not telling her about Racetrack would piss her off, the rest of it though, had him more than a little confused. They weren't cut out for the long haul? She was tired of the day-to-day crap? Frak that. Since when?

And seeking his approval? He almost laughed. Rarely, if ever, did she seek his approval for anything. She'd kept that one well hidden. How could he miss that she felt like it was work to make him happy? He couldn't possibly be that frakking blind, could he? He didn't think so.

It freaked him out.

And made him question everything between them. Maybe he didn't tell her or show her often enough just how much he loved her. The Kara he knew would never need or want that, not with the almost uncanny ability she had to know exactly what he was thinking. Where did that go, by the way?

Head aching, he grabbed the sleeping bag and made up his bed on the floor. He figured it was just as well Racetrack had trouble with her Raptor the previous day and had to make an emergency landing for a part. She'd left word via intership communications that she'd have to miss their scheduled workout this morning. He'd been so wrapped up in his own head he would have missed it anyway. His initials were on all kinds of stuff that he barely remembered reading. Hopefully he hadn't scheduled anyone for double shifts.

Shaking his head, he settled in for a cold night on the floor. It was hard for him to sleep without Kara beside him especially since he wasn't even in their bed where her scent was there to soothe him even if she wasn't. He missed her, even more than when their schedules were insane. She'd been so unreachable that Lee wasn't sure if a few days were going to be long enough for things to settle. It was his last thought as his eyes drifted closed and he finally fell asleep.

Lt. Margaret Edmondson was coming off a pair of awful days. First her Raptor had given her trouble so she had to land and wait for another part. Then it decided to not cooperate, even with the new part and she'd had to spend the night aboard the tylium refinery where the quarters were right next to the operations center. She woke up for every shift and half shift change and cooled her heels until the Chief could send over yet another replacement part.

Basically she'd spent two days off ship and she'd missed a training session. Reilly was due for leave in a couple of days and she wanted to get at least one more round in before she had to deal with him. She was checking the roster for any changes when Kat tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention.

Kat bounced as she waited for Racetrack to turn. "Heard the latest?" The newest pool was growing daily and Kat wanted to make sure everyone who could get in, got in on the action.

Maggie raised her eyebrows in question. "Latest what? I've been off ship for a while." She always missed the good stuff. Dammit.

Kat leaned in close and whispered, "The CAG is sleeping in the office." Her head popped up to make sure they were still alone. "New pool on whether he'll move back in and when." Her gleeful smile fell away as Racetrack shot her a sharp glance.

_Frak._ Maggie just knew it had to do with her. She grabbed Kat's arm, squeezing more than necessary. "When did this happen?" Oh hell…the major probably wasn't very happy with her right now.

Kat shook the other pilot's hand off, misinterpreting the reason for the grab. "Gods, Lieutenant. There's plenty of time to get in on this." She grabbed a piece of paper to write down Maggie's picks but when she looked up, the other woman was gone.

Rolling her eyes, she muttered as she went off to find another person who wanted in on the action. "Raptor pilots." To her, it explained everything.

Lee didn't even bother looking up when a knock sounded at his door, just called, "Enter, " then went back to reading briefing notes for the past couple of CAPs.

To say he was surprised to hear, "Major Adama, sir," from Racetrack would be an understatement. Then it dawned on him…they still needed to get another session in before Reilly's leave.

Glancing up at Margaret, he smiled tiredly, "Lieutenant." He stood scrubbing a hand over his face…he slept as poorly as he thought he would. But he knew Jameson's leave was looming and Racetrack would want at least one more go around before possibly having to deal with the man. "Come to reschedule?" He flipped open the schedule to find a date that worked.

The CAG was in bad shape, Maggie thought as she took in his tired face. His body looked tightly coiled instead of relaxed per normal. He wouldn't be much worth working out with right now.

And it was her fault.

Making a hasty decision, Maggie came back with, "If it's all the same to you, sir. I think I'm good." And she was, she'd built up some upper body strength, and she felt she could handle herself if she had to.

A little startled, Lee looked a little closer at the pilot. "You're sure?" He was confident she could take care of herself, but she needed to feel the same.

Maggie nodded, voice confident. "I'm good to go." Right after she had a conversation with a certain Viper pilot to set things straight.

She'd convinced him. Shaking his head, he stated. "Yes. I believe you are." He still needed to talk to his father about issues like these, but Racetrack would be fine this time around.

Maggie smiled, his assurance giving her a boost. "Thank you, sir." She was thanking him for a lot of things, and she hoped he knew it. She'd put him in a bad spot, but he'd helped her anyway. He'd have her loyalty in everything from this point forward.

Lee grinned for the first time in days. "You're welcome, Lieutenant." He stepped out from behind the desk walked around and perched on the edge in front. "Stay aware, try not to be too far away from populated areas and you'll do fine." When she nodded, he finished with, "Take care." As she exited the office, Lee stayed seated.

He felt some satisfaction that he'd been able to help Margaret, but it was dampened by the rift it caused between Kara and himself. Sighing he sat behind the desk again. He'd give it another day or two then try to talk to her again.

Margaret Edmondson hated what she had to do now…track down Captain Thrace and explain things. She owed the CAG that much. He'd kept his word and was paying a nasty price for it. As much as Maggie didn't want to have a confrontation with Starbuck, she planned to do so. And it would be a confrontation…they just rubbed each other the wrong way.

Racetrack finally ran Captain Thrace to ground in the mess hall. She was sitting at a table, alone, and Maggie boldly walked up, nodding to Helo who sat a couple of tables away. She knew their history, but didn't let it affect her working relationship with him. He was a damn fine ECO, and she would know since she used to be one.

She ignored the questioning look he tossed her way, instead choosing to jump right in. "Captain Thrace, a moment of your time, please." Yeah…this was going to go well…if the scorn in Kara's eyes was any indicator.

The room grew quiet while Margaret waited for a reply. She held her ground and didn't drop her gaze even though she was itching to do so. This was much harder than she thought it would be.

Kara broke stance first, glancing over to Helo with an inclination of her head. He immediately stood and cleared the room. "Let's go people. Find someplace to eat…now." He shuffled the stragglers out, silencing the groans with narrowed eyes.

Sitting back in her seat, Kara nodded to an empty chair. "Room's clear. Say your piece." She had been mulling over the fight with Lee, wondering why she'd been so off the chart, when Margaret showed up; should be interesting to get her side of things. Not that it would make much difference.

Maggie sat. She mimicked Kara's pose, leaning back and crossing her feet at the ankles. Once again, she jumped right in. "Wanna get in on the new pool?" Her fingers flexed as she spoke, nervous tension coiling around her. "Bets are being placed on whether or not the CAG is going to move back home. You'd be a shoe in for the win." She started confrontationally hoping to gauge the captain's reaction.

Kara snorted. "Is that supposed to piss me off?" It did, but she'd bet on worse. "Or did you come to find out the answer so you could place the winning pick?"

It was Maggie's turn to snort. "I'm not taking that action. He'll be moving back home." That got a reaction.

Kara's eyebrows rose and her tongue flicked out from in between sneering lips. "Is that right. You know this how?" She had to admire the boldness Racetrack was using. Her curiosity was piqued.

Margaret smiled, "I know this, because I'm going to spell it out for you, Captain." She sat forward, elbows resting on her knees. "And the only reason I'm spelling it out for you is because Major Adama gave his word not to say anything, and it's my story to tell." She looked Kara directly in the eyes. "Question is…are you willing to listen. Or do you plan to remain short sighted?" Cringing inwardly, she seriously hoped her face didn't meet the table.

Kara's eyes narrowed at the pilot's remarks. She was already feeling pretty damn low about the stuff that spewed out of her mouth during the fight with Lee. Having the catalyst march right up to her and basically say the same set her teeth on edge…curious or not.

But she wanted to hear it right from the source.

Kara sat forward, placing her arms on the table slowly, deliberately. "I'm still here…so talk." She'd already calmed down enough to talk to Lee, but she still felt something irrational pulling at her, so she'd avoided him so far.

It was driving her insane.

Maybe if she listened to this she'd be able to get a handle on it. She and Lee still had to talk about it, calmly, but she'd take the high road and at least listen to Racetrack. If she didn't like what she heard she could always face plant her into the table. Wouldn't be the first time.

Margaret sat silent for a moment, staring at Starbuck wondering if she was off her nut to even attempt an explanation. Sucking in a deep breath, she once again dove right in. Starting with spending the weekend with Reilly. Describing her reasons pulled a grin from Kara; she knew all about random hookups with a hot guy for no other reason than hoping to get laid.

Maggie continued the account with her disappointment in the rest of the weekend. Great sex does not make up for having even basic decisions taken out of your hands. When Kara shook her head in understanding, Margaret wondered if they might be finding some common ground for once. She told the captain about the unsettled feeling she had after telling Reilly there wouldn't be any encores for the two of them only to be met with the man's certainty that yes, there would be…in two or so weeks.

Kara's eyes narrowed when Racetrack explained how Reilly had more or less ignored her wishes. She didn't like the sound of that. At all. Chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip, she let the lieutenant continue.

Relieved that her head was still attached, Maggie launched into how she asked Lee for help. She gave her reasons for wanting to keep things on the QT, going so far as to be specific in mentioning what had happened with Jolly. Lee didn't have much room to back out after that, and she admitted to shamelessly using it.

Raising her eyes to Kara's, she stated, "I knew that would get him on board." When she didn't get a reaction, she continued. "It was days after it happened and frankly, it was the primary reason I wanted to bone up on hand to hand skills." She went the final step, bracing for impact. "If you could almost get taken out, what do you think could happen to the rest of us?" It was a sobering thought, one she'd had many times over the past two weeks.

Kara let everything Racetrack said settle in before responding. Margaret was making her confront the episode with Jolly and look at it through the eyes of the rest of the crew. She completely understood the desire to keep a perceived limitation hidden. And in this case, she had no room to point a finger and place blame. Pilots were notorious for maligning their fellow fliers for any and all weaknesses and she was usually leading the pack.

She wouldn't be anymore.

If Jolly's break with reality had been a warning, Margaret's fear was a wake-up call. This wasn't the world they used to live in…they only had each other to rely on. She needed the reminder of that. Having the information in front of her, she knew why Lee had kept silent; he'd known what she'd just figured out. Things were different now, and not everyone had kept up with the changes that needed to be made because of it.

She'd handle that later. Right now she wanted to help. She'd just been promoted to Captain…she needed to start acting like one.

Scooting her chair closer to the table, she extended an olive branch. "When do you want to deal with Jameson?" If it were her, she'd make the initial move to handle things. Acting was always better than reacting.

Maggie had been thinking on the subject. Reilly was due for his next pass within a couple of days. "I figure the sooner the better." She didn't know he'd be difficult, but she'd bet her best clothes he would. "I think I've got something worked out. A safe place, right outside his work station, and I may as well get it over with today." Her decision settled into her and she had a good feeling about things.

Kara smiled a scary smile. "Want some back up?" Maggie wasn't going to be alone with this.

Kara smiled as she made her way to the CAG's office. Maggie had handled herself well when she'd shown up outside Reilly's workstation. She very plainly stated that while she appreciated the offer of another weekend pass, she was declining the invitation. Kara was positioned outside the door and had a ringside seat to the entertainment.

There were at least three of Reilly's co-workers standing with earshot as Maggie let him down. Reilly opened his mouth to protest but she stopped him. She explained clearly that she didn't care for men who made decisions for her and assumed that no didn't mean no. When Reilly just chuckled and said he'd meet her on the hangar deck for their next trip off ship, Racetrack glanced around the room, taking note of where his three friends were, before shaking her head while saying she would not be there.

She turned to leave, thinking she'd made her point, when his hand settled on her shoulder. Instinct kicked in and Maggie deftly spun him around shoving his face into the bulkhead. "I'm not going, Jameson." Using her foot she caved his knees into the metal wall eliminating any chance for him to strike out at her with his legs while she held him in place one hand on the back of his head, the other around the wrist of the arm she had twisted behind his back.

When his co-workers made a move to assist, Kara stepped in smoothly, inserting herself as backup. "I don't think so boys…let's just let these two work things out for themselves all right?" She positioned herself between Racetrack and the men, with Margaret at her back.

The guys backed off, not really wanting to get involved. Kara shot a look over her shoulder to make sure Maggie still had things under control. Seeing that she did, she turned back away to give her some privacy.

Margaret held Reilly firmly in place. "Reilly, I'm not going with you on your next leave, or the one after that." Tightening her grip on the arm behind his back, she raised it up increasing the discomfort. "I want your word that we're done here. I don't want to have to report you, but I will, and I've got four witnesses that'll back me up." She moved her head back slightly so Jameson could see his co-workers nod in agreement. Kara just cocked her head and winked at him, leaving no doubt whose side she'd be on.

Reilly got the message. Since his face was still planted against the wall, he ground out through clenched teeth. "You have my word. I won't bother you again." When Margaret still didn't let go, he angled his eyes up to hers, repeating, "You have my word." She let him go, quickly stepping back out of his reach so he couldn't retaliate.

She nodded her head, turned briskly and walked out. Kara backed out with a measured pace, not letting any of the men out of her sight until she was clear of the room. Slinging an arm around Maggie's shoulder, she checked to make sure she was okay. They might not be best buds, but Kara's respect for the woman went up a notch at the way she'd handled herself.

They'd parted at the hangar deck, with Kara deciding to take a page from Maggie's book and talk to Lee today.

Finding herself outside his office, she paused wondering if they were ready to speak yet. They'd both hurled some nasty things at each other, her so more than him. It was weird, but after talking to Racetrack and realizing that they had a potentially sticky situation on their hands with crewmembers caving under the stress, every scrap of anger she had with Lee completely dissolved.

She still didn't have a grip on why she'd flown off the handle quite as far as she did, but she needed to see Lee and thought that risking another fight worth it. Raising her hand, she knocked then stepped back, waiting for him to answer.

Lee was still staring at reports, only half-heartedly paying attention to them. At the knock, he glanced up. Startled, he called out, "Enter." To say he was surprised when Kara entered would have been absolute fact.

Flipping the report closed, he stood quickly, happy to see her but also wary. The grin playing around the edges of his mouth faded and he gazed levelly trying to gauge her mood. She'd come seeking him, which had to be a good sign.

Kara dogged the hatch behind her and stood, taking in the sight of Lee. He looked as haggard as she felt…tired, fatigued, and worn down. She was equal parts pleased and sad they looked about the same. They needed to never have a major meltdown like the one they had.

Too bad there were no guarantees.

Glancing at the chair in front of Lee's desk she raised her eyes in question. When his hand indicated that she should by all means sit. She did, scooting in closer to the desk. He reseated himself, still wary, staying quiet, but meeting and holding her gaze after he'd let himself drink in the sight of her.

Knowing it was up to her to break the silence, she ventured forth with a simple, 'Hey." Her quirky smile broke the tension and he relaxed.

Thankful for the smile, most of the fatigue drained out of Lee. "Hey yourself." Not much of a beginning, but he was content to let her direct the conversation. His brain was keyed up, not expecting her, and he was pretty much at a loss for words.

Kara began by filling him in on Racetrack and her now resolved situation. His eyebrows shot up and he asked numerous questions, not the least of which was how she'd gotten involved. Kara explained about Maggie seeking her out and their subsequent conversation.

She pulled her brows together with a frown. "Lee, we need to start thinking about these little potboilers cropping up." Confused when he just grinned, the light dawned. "You've already thought about it?" She should have known he'd be on top of it.

Lee shook his head up and down. "I talked to the commander about it this afternoon. He's got Gaeta on research for someone with a background in counseling, a couple if they're available." It was the only worthwhile thing he'd accomplished today.

Kara was glad it was being handled. It meant she could move on to the big topic. "About the other day…I get why you kept your word now." Sometimes she needed to be whacked upside the head with the details. "And if you had tried to explain it then, I wouldn't have heard you. Racetrack more or less hitting me over the head with her reason for keeping it between you did the trick." She caught his gaze and held it again. "It made me confront what happened with Jolly and realize he might not be the only one ready to crack under the pressure." The thought that she might be due herself creeped up out of nowhere, hitting her square between the eyes.

She'd been irrational and over the top during their argument and had no explanation for it. Maybe it was due to stress. Her eyes dropped and her hands twisted in her lap.

Lee caught her actions and while unclear about what troubled her, he made to reassure her, "Kara…talk to me. What's bothering you?" He really wanted to understand what was going on with her, needed to, in fact.

Her eyes welled up with tears and she quickly dashed them away with her fingers. "I'm not sure, Lee." Glancing up at him, she was comforted to see him coming around the desk to kneel in front of her. "I'm all over the map here and I can't begin to tell you why I said everything I said to you the other day." His hands had reached up to cup her face, and she placed hers over them. "I love you…you make me happy." She smiled with him at the words.

Sobering, she continued. "I'm not tired of us, I never was. I was pissed, angry beyond anything and I can't explain why." Fear crept into her eyes. "I don't want to feel like that. I hate not having answers." She let go of his hands, sliding down to the floor with him.

As his hands went to her shoulders, she turned around to lean against him. "I really hate not having answers." As his arms went around her, her head dropped back to rest on his shoulder. "I'm sorry." Wrapped in his embrace, she felt immeasurably better.

Kissing her temple, Lee apologized as well. "Me, too." Feeling better than he had since they'd argued, he decided maybe everyone should meet with counselors, himself included.

He settled back against the desk, holding her, as the quiet enveloped them. Neither felt like moving, comfortable again with each other. Kara's hands were gently massaging Lee's thighs, while his thumbs were rubbing soothing circles on her arms. They stayed that way taking their ease in the silence, while they reacquainted themselves with small touches or a gentle gliding of fingers on skin.

Kara spied the sleeping bag in the corner of the office. Wordlessly, she arose tugging Lee up with her. Settling his hands on her hips, she guided them across the floor leaning back into him, nuzzling his neck as they walked. Reaching the edge of the fabric, Kara toed her shoes off while Lee did the same then she turned and led him to the center of the material.

Standing in the circle of each other's arms, they communicated with their eyes. Pent up emotions from the past couple of days arced between them, danced around them as their gazes spoke of the passion, the pain, the love. In essence, everything that was them.

Kara felt the throbbing need she always felt with him, heightened by the taut reign she'd kept her emotions on lately. The darkening blue of Lee's eyes told her he was feeling damn close to the same. Their eyes held for a heartbeat before they reached for each other's clothes, fingers frantically removing the fabric barriers between hot kisses, caresses, and harsh breaths rife with anticipation.

Lee's hands raked down Kara's sides to grasp the waistband of her pants, shoving downward, lips following the material down on the trip. Kara stepped out of them and sank to the sleeping bag, tugging Lee down with her before lunging at him, toppling them over so she could attack his face and neck with hungry gusto. She undid the fastenings of his pants and tried to push them off, but Lee ended up taking over to get the job done.

Both naked, he pulled her on top of him and hands sliding to her ass he pushed to shift her hips upward so he could thrust up into her. Moaning as he slid home, his breath rasped out as he paused to get a grasp on his control. Feeling her settle over him, his hips moved of their own volition to sink deeper into her he shuddered at the sensation of her squeezing around him.

The feel of Lee's hands moving over her skin gave Kara goose bumps. She was all tingling awareness as she rode fast and furious against Lee's groin. Arching her back, her hands reached back to grasp his knees as her hips pressed hard against him, ramping up the friction. Grinding hard, she twisted her hips back and forth, listening to Lee groan low and long as his hands slid up her thighs.

She was killing him. Bumping and working over his cock, he literally felt on fire for her. His control slipped a notch as once again his hips thrust up and her hands left his knees to land on his chest, fingers pressing into his skin. Everywhere she touched burned, heat skittering along his limbs. His hands moved from her thighs to cup her breasts, kneading them with long fingers. She bucked against him, hard, and her face showed her satisfaction as her eyes rolled shut on a gasp.

Kara spun out of control, clenching tightly around Lee as she broke. Her hands grabbed onto his, stilling his fingers while she shattered, breathing harshly, tingling from head to toe. Gods, being with him only got better the longer they were together. How could she have felt otherwise?

The moment Kara came, clamping around his cock, he followed right behind her. Surging up, he exploded on a wave of intense pleasure that rocked through his body pulling the air from his lungs. Gasping her name, his breath whooshed out as she landed on his chest, spent. Her breath blew small tufts of air along his skin and his arms went around her holding steady as they both made their way back to the here and now.

Lying sprawled on the sleeping bag, neither wanted to move, but the air was cooling their sweat soaked skin.

Lee's head lifted slightly to take in the sight of her face, relaxed, eyes closed. He wasn't going anywhere. Reaching out, he grabbed a light throw and dragged it over them. When the material hit Kara's cool skin she stirred and shivered.

As she slid off of him, Lee asked. "Mind if we stick around here tonight?" She gave her answer by snuggling in close beside him.

Sleep was fast approaching, but Kara replied, "Don't think I could move if I tried." She thought about the new pool Maggie told her about. "'Sides…if we stay here nobody wins the pool." Her eyes were just closing when she felt Lee tense and she answered before he even asked the question. "Yep…there was another pool." Yawning, she let her eyes drift closed.

Lee laid in stunned silence for a moment before muttering. "Good gods." Then his own eyes fluttered shut and he fell asleep with thoughts of Kara floating in his head.

FIN


	17. Chapter 17

Originally posted: August 15, 2006

PART 17

Kara felt pretty damn good. In the last week she'd managed to hook up every one of her nuggets with a veteran pilot and they were now combat ready. They may not have had an official ceremony, but she considered the first full class of recruits graduated. She was taking two weeks off to prepare then starting a new class. Currently, her goal was getting some downtime approved, with Lee, off ship.

The two of them had fallen back to their normal relationship with the exception of being more aware of each other. They wanted some time though…just for them. In Kara's mind, they'd more than earned it and she knew Lee agreed. They'd spent the past two days talking about it. Neither of them had taken leave in ages, hadn't really felt the need to do so. They spent their downtime together and most of the time, it's all they needed.

But their argument had shown them how out of sync they'd been. They needed some time to relax, to talk to each other and recharge.

So…Kara was on her way to put in for a couple of passes off ship. If she was lucky, the XO would be out and she wouldn't have to deal directly with him. If she weren't lucky, well…she'd just grit her teeth and be nice. Tigh had been making an effort recently, so she could do the same…even if it killed her.

Looking at his schedule, Lee grinned at the three-day block of blank space on the page. He'd scheduled, moved, finagled and outright carved a 72-hour chunk of time out to spend with Kara, alone, away from the Galactica. Looking forward to getting away with her, checking their ranks and responsibilities on the transport over, and just being Kara and Lee, he couldn't stop smiling. He flipped the calendar closed, stood and checked his desk for anything, anything he might have missed, but it fairly gleamed back at him. Some paperwork in quarters, a shift in CIC for him and a CAP rotation for Kara and they would be on their way…because he knew she'd get the approval. Face splitting into a wide grin, he made his way to the hatch and shut off the lights…he was headed home.

Kara had to deal with Tigh to get the time, but she just smiled sweetly and received nothing but a low growl and a raised eyebrow as the colonel signed off on their passes. He didn't even bother giving her a hard time by mentioning that the two senior pilots really shouldn't be off ship at the same time. She doubted he'd ever use that particular line of reasoning again.

They had it covered anyway. She and Lee had gone over the roster with a fine-tooth comb; they had a very good mix of veteran to rookie pilots slotted in over the next couple of days. Everything was set for this trip. She and Lee more than deserved a break and Tigh knew it.

Snagging the paperwork from the colonel, Kara snapped off a crisp salute as thanks. The less she and Tigh said to each other the better. Other than putting in the request, she managed to get through the entire exchange without saying a word. Tucking the passes under her arm she spun around and left the XO's office, practically bouncing down the corridors to her quarters. It was ridiculous how bubbly she felt about a couple of days away from the _Galactica_. She didn't do bubbly. Or perky. Or anything remotely bouncy. She must really need the time off.

Entering the shared quarters, she heard the shower running and immediately started disrobing. She dropped the passes on top of Lee's paperwork after she shrugged out of her fatigue shirt. Stripping her tanks off came next and she tossed them in the corner of the bedroom. She undid her pants, stepping out of them while walking to the door of the bath. Giving them a hard kick, she sent them flying toward the shirts then slid open the door.

Lee stood under the shower rinsing suds from his hair with his eyes closed as the frothy bubbles slid down his face. He smiled when he heard the door slide open and shut. Rubbing the water from his eyes, he caught a glimpse of blonde hair out of the corner of his eye before he felt hands cupping his ass then skimming around his waist.

Lee shivered with awareness under her touch despite the hot water sluicing over him. Kara felt his whole body tighten in response to her fingers gliding over his wet skin. Turning him toward her, she nudged him out from under the water as her lips found his shoulder and traveled up his neck to ghost along his jaw line.

Peeking up at him, her lips curved in a sultry smile in response to his questioning eyes. "We're good to go." She nipped at his lower lip before continuing. "Two passes off ship…" her lips brushed over his as her hands drew him closer, "…after our shifts end tomorrow." Not letting him reply, she pushed him against the wall, smothering his mouth with hers.

They could talk later. She had done well and was taking her reward. Lifting her leg and sliding it along Lee's hip was the only hint he needed before he hauled her close and shifted their positions leaning Kara against the wall. Dying to have him inside her, Kara grabbed onto Lee's shoulders as his hands skimmed over her breasts, cupping them. Her breasts tingled at his touch, feeling heavy and aroused at the soft kneading. She reached over to turn the water off…they might be wrapped up for a while.

Lee's hands moved from Kara breasts, trailing down her sides before coming to rest on her hips. It never ceased to amaze him how much he wanted her, especially when she gazed at him with a wicked gleam in her eye. His cock twitched and grabbing her hips, he used a knee to nudge her legs apart. Kara's back arced against the wall as Lee's fingers slid down her belly coming to rest right above her pussy. Giving her a smoldering look, his hand moved lower as his head leaned in for a kiss.

His finger entered her as their lips met, tongues tasting and teasing each other. Kara bucked her hips forward, sending her clit against Lee's hand as he added another finger. Digging her short nails into his shoulders, she pulled away from his lips with a groan as her hips pumped again. When she mumbled against his mouth that she wanted more, Lee felt her legs wrap around him drawing him closer. He removed his fingers so she could lift up and slide over his swollen shaft.

As Kara sank over his cock, Lee moved against her, kicking the passion up a notch. He wound his fingers in Kara's hair tugging gently so their lips could meet in scorching kisses. Pressing her against the wall, pumping inside her, his lips traveled over her skin, burning trails of heat along her shoulders, up her throat, finally reaching her ear where his hot breath had her quivering over him. Her walls clamped around him like a vice, pulling him right to the brink of breaking.

Kara didn't know what was going on, but everywhere he touched inflamed her. The need for him consumed her, pushing her relentlessly as she rocked her hips, meeting his every thrust. His lips blazed over her skin charging up her already heightened awareness. His cock felt harder than ever before, filling her, hitting spots she didn't know she had. The feeling was insanely pleasurable. Her limbs felt numb, her mind spun. It was as if all thought and sensation were centered at the junction of where they were joined together.

Lifting her head, her eyes focused long enough to meet Lee's blue gaze. It was hungry, hot and pleading all at once and she knew he was hanging on by a thread. Letting her head fall back, her eyes slid closed and her legs tightened around his waist. He thrust inside her again, brushing against her clit and pleasure hit her, rocking through her body as she nearly shouted with her release.

Lee followed right behind, pinning her to the wall as he broke. Holding onto her, he staggered backwards against the opposite wall trying to catch his breath as he propped them both up. Reaching across the shower space, he turned the water on full-force, stepping in front of Kara so the first cold blast didn't hit her. She'd wrung every bit of feeling out of him leaving him drained and lethargic. He welcomed the bracing temperature to snap him out of it as he still had paperwork to finish up if they were going to get off ship when they wanted to leave.

He rinsed off quickly and when the water was warm, he moved away so the spray could rain down on Kara. She stepped into the stream, letting it soak her hair so she could wash it. At a tap on her shoulder, she turned, giving Lee a tired but satisfied grin when he handed her a soft cloth, cleanser already on it. He knew she was ready to drop and she loved him for knowing it. They'd gotten back to that place where they almost knew exactly what the other was thinking.

Showering quickly, Kara wrapped the waiting towel around her body then exited the bath. She padded over to the bed, dropped the towel and crawled between the sheets. Laughing lightly, she wondered briefly if she and Lee could just sleep for three days straight. _Right_. _Not likely_. She did look forward to sleeping without the sounds of a Battlestar though. Yawning, she noted the light above the desk still burning. Lee would be a while so she settled back on the pillow and let her mind drift.

Thirty minutes later, the light over the desk was finally turned off. Lee settled in beside a sleeping Kara, drawing her back against him with an arm around her waist. His paperwork completed, there was nothing standing in the way of their vacation. Pondering that, five minutes later he was sound asleep.

Kara rushed to get down to the hangar deck. She'd overslept and was behind schedule. Her feet hit the stairs leading down to the pit, momentum propelling her forward. For a second she experienced a feeling of vertigo but it passed as soon as she lifted her head. She didn't have time to wonder about it, as her feet hit the deck then raced up the steps to her Viper. She'd be damned if she held up the CAP.

Settling in, she ran the pre-flight check and got ready for launch. This was one time she wanted the CAP to run smooth and without a hitch. They got underway with minutes to spare and spread out around the perimeter of the fleet. Comm chatter started and Kara sat, listening to the pilot banter, mentally running through her checklist of what she still needed to pack for the trip off ship.

Lee spent the better portion of his shift in CIC plotting jump coordinates with Gaeta. Lee wasn't exactly a slouch with numbers, but he was always surprised how quickly Felix could look at a star system and eliminate the bad spots for their jumps. Dealing with uncharted space was nightmarish under good circumstances and they hadn't had those for a long time. Planning escape routes with Gaeta made his shifts fly and Lee looked forward to working with him when the opportunity presented itself.

About an hour from shift's end, Dee gave a harsh shout. "Contact." Her eyes scanned the display as Lee made his way to the central Dradis console to stand beside his father and Felix hit his station to verify the type and number of ships. Dee relayed the information to CAP and launched the alert fighters on Lee's command.

Turning away from his screen, Gaeta remarked tersely, "Enemy Raiders, counting twelve," He grabbed the comm unit barely waiting for Adama's orders to put the fleet under condition one and start jump prep. Lee's thoughts were split between being thankful they'd updated the coordinates earlier and monitoring the Dradis watching for the alert fighters to catch up with the CAP Vipers.

Out in the mix, Kara shouted orders to the other pilots while chasing down one of the Raiders. She had a lock on it and was ready to fire when it quickly dipped below range causing her to shoot over it and making her flip end over end to pick up the chase again. As she rotated her bird, she felt a sharp pain grab hold of her abdomen, like someone was squeezing, twisting and not letting go. She shook her head to shake it off and pursued the Raider while making note of the other Vipers and their quarry. Following her Raider, she got closer and went for a lock anticipating another defensive maneuver. When it didn't comply, she fired, taking it out but realizing after the fact she was too close.

Making an effort to slow down and hold back, she didn't see the huge piece of the Raider's wing coming at her until it hit the side of her ship causing additional debris to block her view out of the canopy. The impact alarms sounded and Kara had to fight to keep control of the Viper, which is how she missed seeing another Raider fly into range and come straight at her.

Catching sight of it, she hit the thrusters, breaking left while firing at the enemy ship. The satisfaction she felt when it exploded was short-lived as the alarms sounded again and her screen showed damage to the seal of her plane. _When the hell had that happened?_ She realized she was losing oxygen, not only in the Viper but from her suit as well. She needed to get back to the Galactica.

Communicating her plight, she spoke over the wireless, "Uh, Galactica, Starbuck." Trying to focus on the screens and keep the Viper flying, she checked frantically for the breach, "I think I've been hit. I'm losing pressure and I'm coming in hot." Unable to find the source, she concentrated on getting to the landing bay.

A garbled voice sounded in her ear, 'Copy that, Starbuck. You're cleared to land." Too damn bad if she wasn't. If there was anything in her path it was going to be toast.

Disoriented, vision swimming, she fought to keep the plane steady. Her lungs were burning with the strain to breathe but she managed to hit the trap. Her fingers clawed at her flight suit and helmet trying to get them off as she was lowered to the hangar deck. Something wasn't right, but her mind went fuzzy as the bright lights of the deck came into view and she shut her eyes against the glare.

As soon as her call came into CIC, Adama nodded at Lee dismissing him so he could check on Starbuck. Not that Lee would have waited…her voice wasn't right, there was something off and he knew it wasn't good. Flying down the steps to the hangar deck, Lee waited for her Viper to stop. The canopy didn't open, so he hit the steps at a run and popped it for her.

Kara was leaning against the back of the seat, helmet on, but unfastened. Lee carefully reached in and pulled it off, eyes scanning her head for visible injuries.

The Chief shouted up as he caught the helmet Lee tossed over the side rail, "Major, where's she hit?" There was a long streak on the outside of the ship, but nothing else he could see on a quick visual inspection.

Kara wasn't conscious but she was breathing, so Lee started on the buckles of her flight suit. "I don't know yet, Chief." Brushing his fingers down her cheek, he said her name. "Kara. Kara." Sliding the zipper of her flight suit down he had a moment of sheer panic when blood started oozing out of its confines. His voice frantic, he nearly shouted at her. "Kara…hey…come on…" When she started coming around, he finally breathed again. "Hey…where're you hit?" He couldn't see or feel any type of wound as he felt from her shoulders downward.

Still disoriented, Kara had to think for a moment to remember where she was. "Don't know." Groggily, she tried to focus on Lee's voice. She hurt everywhere but the acute pain was concentrated in one area. "Midsection. Hurts." Lifting pain-filled eyes, her vision swam again, "Get me outta here, Lee." The confines of the cockpit were suddenly too much for her and she needed to get out now. "Get me out." Her mind went fuzzy again and everything started going gray/black.

Watching Kara's eyes roll back in her head, Lee tamped down his panic and started shouting orders. "Get a medic!" Quickly working her arms out of the flight suit, he hollered down to Galen, "Chief, get up here. Help me get her out." _Where the frak was all the blood coming from?_ Moving Kara forward, Lee felt a rough spot on her back, right between the shoulder blades.

Glancing down, there was a jagged hole in her flight suit and a matching abrasion on her skin, but it wasn't the source of the blood. Galen had reached Lee's side by this point so Lee hauled Kara up against his chest while Tyrol grabbed her legs. Holding her tightly against him, Lee started backwards down the steps moving as quickly as he could while trying to figure out what the hell was wrong with Kara.

Depositing her on the gurney, he took a second to smooth back the hair on her forehead. "I'll be right there. Hold tight." Her eyes fluttered but he couldn't tell if she'd heard him or if it was from pain.

He started barking orders. To the waiting medics, "Get her to sickbay RFN." He turned to Galen, "Chief, I want you to go over her bird with a fine tooth comb. We need to find out what the hell happened out there." He wanted to go after Kara immediately, but knew he had to let his dad know the sitrep.

Stopping Cally as she walked past him, he tersely ordered, "Cally, call up to CIC and tell the Commander Kara's heading to sickbay. I'm going after her." He was so wrapped up in getting off the hangar deck he didn't even notice Cally look up to the Chief for confirmation.

As he practically ran from Kara's Viper, the sounds of the battle started hitting him as it played out over the comm system. It didn't matter. The only thing he cared about was getting to Kara and finding out where the frak she'd been hit that had her losing that much blood.

Sprinting the rest of the way to sickbay, Lee arrived only to have the curtain closed in his face by Cottle.

Seeing Lee was about to argue at being shut out, Cottle told him in no uncertain terms, "Major, if you want answers you need to back off." He opened the curtain a crack to step through, "Go on back to CIC. I don't need you cluttering up my sickbay." Watching as Lee went to a comm phone, his glare clearly stating he wasn't budging had Cottle sighing and reaching for a smoke. "Suit yourself, Major. It may be a while." He lit the cigarette then shut the curtain behind him muttering about stubborn people and what a pain in the ass they were.

Lee called up to speak with his father, forgetting he asked Cally to update the commander. After filling him in, he hung up the phone and started pacing the length of the exam area, straining to hear anything that would indicate Kara's condition. Time passed, but it didn't register. The only thing that registered was the blood oozing from the Kara's flight suit. It didn't add up, not from what he'd seen of the damage to the plane. Lost in thought, he didn't hear the Chief approach until Galen cleared his throat to get his attention.

Turning, Lee raised an eyebrow, "What did you find?" A cold feeling gripped him in his gut as Galen shook his head.

Tyrol wished he had better news. "Not much, sir." He shuffled the papers in his hand. "Her bird was hit by something, shrapnel, ammo, we don't know what…but it came in from a side angle, up top." Shaking his head, he went on. "She's damn lucky. There's a burn mark on her helmet and a scorch mark on the back of her seat. It must have put a slice in her suit and that's why she lost oxygen so quickly." He paused in his explanation, remembering the blood and watched as the color drained from Lee's face. "I'm sorry, sir. I don't think she was hit anywhere else. Not be enemy fire, at least." Unsure if he should continue, he waited for the major to give him a clue.

Hearing the Chief's report had Lee very, very worried. _What the hell had happened to Kara out there?_ Cottle had five more minutes before Lee took matters into his own hands and demanded answers.

Glancing up, he nodded to Tyrol. "Thanks, Chief. The commander is waiting on the full report." More or less dismissing Galen, Lee wandered to the curtain ready to burst through and get some damn answers when Cottle swung the material back and motioned Lee into the alcove.

He got right to the point, "The bleeding's stopped and she's gonna be fine." He shrugged out of the sterile smock and tossed it in a bin then grabbed Kara's chart, tucking it under his arm.

Relief washed over Lee at Cottle's words. Kara was propped up with IV's sticking out of her arm and hooked up to monitors, but she was going to be okay. She looked better…more color in her face. Lee didn't take his eyes off her when he asked. "Where'd she get hit?" With all that blood, he and the Chief had to have missed something.

Satisfied she wasn't going to die on him, he let himself relax enough to notice the set features of Kara's face. Something wasn't right, here. Worry started creeping up his spine again.

Cottle harrumphed then replied, "Yeah…about that…" He waited until Lee dragged his gaze away from Kara. "With the exception of the abrasion on her back, she's didn't get injured from enemy fire." Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out another cigarette.

_Not injured_? _Was Cottle insane?_ Dumbfounded, Lee burst out with, "What?! Then why the hell was she bleeding everywhere?" The whole damn ship had gone mad. _How could she not be injured?_ It was the only explanation Lee could comprehend.

Taking a long drag off the cigarette, Cottle looked like he was pondering how to answer the question. He waited until he exhaled before stating gruffly in a soft voice. "Son, there's usually a lot of blood when someone has a miscarriage." Flicking some ash into a metal bin, he waited for the outburst he knew was coming.

Stunned, Lee's eyes shot back to Kara, "Miscarriage?" _How the frak could that happen?_

Kara wanted to know the same damn thing. She'd already informed Cottle he was off his nut. "I want to know how the hell I ended up pregnant in the first place?" _It wasn't possible_. She and Lee covered all the bases.

Cottle tried to inject some lightness into the conversation, "If I have to explain that…you're both in trouble." He knew both were reeling from the information and he actually had a pretty good idea of what had happened. He had to give them both a little time to recover from the shock.

Kara glared at Cottle, in no mood for witty word play. "Shut the frak up." She shot the doctor another look before lowering her eyes to her hands, fingers twisting, "That's not what I meant. I'm on the shots, this shouldn't have happened." _And it shouldn't have_. As a pilot, not only was Kara on birth control, she took an oral med to stop her monthly cycles. No female pilot wanted to deal with that when they had to sit in a cockpit for extended periods of time. She consciously unclenched her fingers, smoothing down the sheet in an attempt to focus on something else.

Mind reeling, Lee walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. He was damn lucky he didn't lose her. If her Viper hadn't been damaged in the fray, she probably could have bled to death. He wasn't a doctor, but that had to be possible, right? His brain wasn't ready to wrap around anything else yet.

Grabbing Kara's hand between his own, he met her gaze. "Are you okay?" When she looked at him, he saw the exact moment her denial changed to reality. It brought it home for him. Squeezing her hand, he swallowed hard then turned to Cottle, "How? We're careful." _Miscarriage._ Gods, they'd never even discussed having kids. Why would they? Pilots don't have babies when they're on active duty.

Cottle stubbed out his cigarette. "It probably happened around the time you were injured." He looked at Lee when he spoke. "The captain takes the oral medication that most of the female pilots take," He didn't go into detail, Lee was the CAG and he'd been living with Kara long enough to know what he was talking about. "It makes the shot less effective for about three days out of the month…similar to an antibiotic." Cottle had to assume they'd been intimate after he'd told them it wasn't a good idea while Lee's gunshot wound was healing. He refrained from mentioning that. They'd have enough to deal with as it was.

He looked at Kara, "You were about 10-12 weeks along, you would have had no way of knowing you were pregnant until you started gaining weight or showing other symptoms." He watched as Lee's hands tightened around Kara's. They were both lost in thought, but he wanted to be available to answer any questions they had.

Kara's brain was in overdrive as it hit her. _Pregnant_. It explained a lot. Her irrational anger at Lee and their subsequent fight, the tiredness she'd been hit with lately, and the vertigo from this morning. _Dammit…pregnant??_ Ten to twelve weeks, that meant she'd been pregnant when she'd been in the brawl with Jolly. "When I was here before, after the fight with Weatherby…why didn't you find out then?" _Pregnant_. It wasn't easy to wrap her mind around.

Cottle shrugged, "You came in with a concussion and bruising around your throat." He gave her a pointed look. "And you were on the shots and the oral meds. We don't run pregnancy tests when there's no reason to suspect one." It figured Starbuck wouldn't have the normal indicators of pregnancy like morning sickness. That was usually a dead giveaway. "If you have any other questions send one of the medics to find me." Checking the monitor, he made a notation in her chart. "We're keeping you here overnight, you lost a lot of blood and we're going to pump some into you after we get you fully hydrated. After that, we'll see how things are going, but you should be back to flight status pretty soon." Clipping her chart to the end of the bed, he looked at Lee. "You'll have to clear out while we do the procedure, but you can stay with her after we're done." Backing out of the alcove, he grabbed at his pocket again coming up empty this time. "I'll be back in an hour to get things started, I'll leave you two for now." Closing the curtain, he headed down the corridor in search of more smokes.

Lee and Kara sat in silence letting everything sink in.

Kara's head dropped back on the pillow, eyes closed, mind whirling. A kid. She struggled with it mentally. Having one is not something she'd ever considered. They hadn't even talked about kids. They'd been living day-to-day, moment-to-moment. It was enough for them…for now.

Lee's thumb moved back and forth over Kara's hand as he wrestled with the thought of a baby. Gods, they weren't even close to being ready to be parents…neither of them. The thought sent a shiver down his spine. He wasn't even sure he wanted to have kids and right now, especially, wasn't a great time to consider them.

How would they cope as parents? Running for their lives, never knowing what would happen from one day to the next. They spent so much time in the moment it was hard for him to even consider the prospect.

Kara moved her other hand on top of Lee's and glanced down at their entwined fingers. In her mind they were joined, but she considered the odds of her ending up pregnant to be non-existent. Yet she had been. It figured though. With Lee's penchant for over thinking everything, she should have bet his sperm would overwork themselves, too. _Pregnant_. It seemed unbelievable.

Good gods. With everything that had been going on, neither of them had given thought to creating life. Who'd want to while they were on the run? But created life they had. She couldn't believe it.

_Frak_. Right now they were too valuable to the fleet to consider having kids. But they needed to talk about it. They obviously needed to discuss a lot of things. Mind spinning again, Kara tightened her fingers in Lee's and held on. Nothing like a little reality to make you sit up and take notice.

Lee responded by bringing Kara's hands up to his mouth and brushing his lips over her knuckles. _A baby_. Kara had been almost through the first trimester. Lee's mind thought back trying to pinpoint when it had happened. The days rewound in his head and it hit him. It had to have been the day he'd gone home after he'd been wounded. He remembered his determined seduction of Kara. _Son of bitch_. The timing was right also. It would have happened when her shot wasn't at its most effective.

He was the reason she was lying in this bed. His eyes slid shut as a myriad of thoughts rolled through his head. If she didn't want to kill him, he'd be lucky. Top that off with the senseless loss that neither of them had been prepared for and he had a whole host of reasons he could kick himself for. The first of which was his inability to keep his dick in his pants. Mr. Responsibility had failed miserably this time around and Kara was paying the price in physical and emotional pain.

He ached for her. For them. If he'd been paying attention, they wouldn't be going through this right now. His forehead moved down to rest on their enjoined hands as he let out a huge sigh.

Kara worried about that sigh. She needed to know what he was thinking. "Lee." Untangling their fingers, she moved her hands to cup his face, lifting it so she could see his eyes. Oh lords, he looked like she felt.

Gazing at Kara, there was so much he wanted to say to her, but it could wait until she was back on her feet. Grasping her hands again, he wrapped them in his and whispered a simple, "I'm sorry."

Kara leaned forward, kissing him gently. "Me too." They had a lot to digest then try to talk about. But not now…right now she just needed him to here, like he was, holding her. Sliding over on the bed, she tugged on his arms, so he could sit beside her.

Being careful of the tubes and cables, Lee settled in beside Kara. He gently drew her against him, wrapping his arm around her and waited for Doc Cottle to return. They'd get through this like they did everything else.

Together.

FIN


	18. Chapter 18

Originally posted: September 19, 2006

PART 18

24 hours can change a lot of things.

Lee finished packing his rucksack then sat it beside Kara's on the deck. She'd packed as soon as they got back to quarters then went in to take a very long shower. Walking over to listen at the door, he needed to reassure himself she was okay.

_Right. Not okay._

Propping himself up against the wall, Lee scrubbed his hand over his face for likely the millionth time since yesterday and let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. Leaning his head back, he let the last day rewind slowly in his head while he tried to make sense of everything. What was supposed to be a time for Kara and he to hang out and just be them was now a time they'd been ordered to take so they could deal with a loss neither was expecting away from the prying eyes, ears and mouths of the _Galactica_.

His lips curved in a wry grin. Only his father would order them to take mandatory leave…not that they didn't need it. Lee wasn't sure about much right now…but he was sure about the leave. He and Kara already planned to spend a good deal of time talking while they were gone…now they had one more very important topic to discuss.

_A great big huge topic he had no idea how to even bring up. _

He'd only had about 40 minutes with Kara before Cottle came back and shooed him out of the alcove. They hadn't talked…just given each other support. While Kara was undergoing a transfusion and whatever else Cottle needed to do, Lee paced back and forth right outside the curtain, mentally kicking himself over and over until he realized it wasn't going to help either of them. He needed to get his head on straight and be ready to move whatever mountains she might need him to move.

Feeling better, he looked up to see his dad gazing at him, concern etched on his face. To have him walk over, placing a hand on his shoulder almost did Lee in. The simple gesture said more than any words could have; it also told Lee his father was already in the loop and knew what happened.

Unsure what to say, Lee could only nod when Adama quietly spoke. "Come see me in the morning." With a supportive squeeze the commander left, leaving Lee feeling stronger and in control. He wanted to get back to Kara and provide the same for her.

He didn't have much of a chance. When Cottle pulled the curtain aside and motioned Lee in, he told him Kara would be out for at least twelve hours from a sedative. "Best thing for her right now is sleep…" He must have read the anxiety on Lee's face because he added, "She's going to be fine, Major. I sedated her more because she's a pain in the ass than anything else." While stripping off his sterile smock he continued, "Sleep will do her a world of good while her body adjusts to everything it's been through." Nodding toward a chair, Cottle finished his spiel. "Go on and have a seat…I know you aren't going anywhere. If you get tired, the bed in the next alcove is empty." As Lee sank down in the proffered seat, Cottle exited, knowing the major wouldn't use the bed.

And Lee hadn't used it, which was why he was now yawning as he stood outside the head while Kara took a marathon shower. Satisfied she wasn't having any trouble, he pushed off the wall and wandered to sit on the edge of the bed waiting for her to finish up.

As water rained down over Kara's body, she tried to take a page from Lee's book and put things in perspective. It wasn't working overly well, but she kept trying anyway. Cottle had informed them that she might react to things differently than normal as lingering hormones worked themselves out of her system. _Right…looking forward to that._ If being exhausted and achy wasn't enough she could have mood swings to deal with. And why was she so damn tired after sleeping twelve straight hours thanks to Cottle's magic sedative?

Because her body had been through a traumatic experience, that's why. She could hear the snarky doctor's voice in her head listing out the myriad of instructions, reactions, and other medical mumbo jumbo she hated hearing. Thankfully Lee had returned and was listening to everything with her.

After waking up, she'd made him go meet with his father and suggested he grab the shower while she waited to get checked over and released. She loved him for sticking with her…but needed a couple of minutes to herself to shut down the ramblings in her brain and shore up for what would likely unfold. Being the center of attention for anything other than flying or cards made her insane.

When Lee came back, he had orders in his hand for a mandatory three-day leave to sort things out. They'd barely had a chance to start discussing said orders before Cottle arrived with her release forms. Wanting to get things out of the way, Kara gingerly slid off the bed, twined her fingers with Lee's and strode with slow purpose out of sickbay.

As they walked back to quarters, they quietly altered their previous arrangements while fielding questions of concern from numerous crewmembers. Lee noticed it was getting to her and started silencing people with a glare when they looked like they were going to ask how she was doing. Kara grinned in spite of herself. Lee could go from friendly to fierce in a split second. And she was feeling just punchy enough to appreciate it. He'd have her back no matter what went down.

Switching off the water, she let her mind touch briefly on the next couple of days and the laundry list of things she and Lee had to get through. Gods…she'd been looking forward to having time just for them…now they had even more reason to take it. In fact, they had orders.

And as much as they didn't do the 'touchy feely' stuff on a regular basis, she recognized the necessity of holing up together for a couple of days. They had to start the process of dealing with all the shit they'd been through and working toward putting it to rest. It was the only way they'd be able to stay together and strong.

Toweling dry with quick efficient strokes, she wondered when the hell she'd become so damned cognizant of crap like that. _When dealing with a stressed out pilot out for blood, maybe?_ Absolutely…and living with someone like Lee who analyzed everything to the nth degree. She smiled as she pulled on her clothes, comfortable ones per Cottle's suggestion. Lee would get a thrill if he knew how much he was rubbing off on her.

Feeling the best she'd felt in the past 24 hours, she was ready to get off the ship. She slid the door open to find Lee standing in wait. Weirdly touched, she walked up to him and slid her arms around his waist while holding his gaze.

Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Let's get out of here." Stepping back, she made a move to grab her rucksack.

Lee stopped her, holding onto her shoulders, searching her face. "Maybe we should stick around here…just in case…" The vision of unzipping her flight suit hovered in his mind for a moment giving him pause. She looked normal…tired, but okay.

Kara shook her head, "I'm fine…Cottle said so." She wasn't exactly one hundred percent and cramps were kicking in, but that was expected. "Besides…we have orders and for once, I'm not bucking them." Firmly placing Starbuck in the forefront, the only concession she made was to let Lee pick up both packs as she made her way to the hatch. Turning slightly before exiting, she set the tone. "But if one more person asks how I am…I won't be held responsible for punching them." With that, she stepped over the threshold and waited for Lee to follow.

Shooting her a glance, Lee let her comment slide. He might be freaking out about something else happening to her, but she oozed confidence. He sensed it was only on the surface but whatever she needed to make it to the Raptor was fine with him. When they were off ship, without an audience, he'd figure out where to go next.

After Kara dogged the hatch, they stood for a moment, both taking a deep breath. With a quick glance at each other, Lee silently handed over Kara's rucksack, knowing she wouldn't want to show any kind of weakness in front the crew then they made their way to a waiting Raptor.

The trip over to Cloud Nine was uneventful. Lee was surprised they had the Raptor to themselves but had a feeling the commander made it happen. His brief conversation with his dad earlier, confirmed Adama's assumption that neither had known Kara was pregnant and that it hadn't been planned. Giving them Racetrack as their pilot more or less convinced Lee his dad was trying to give them some privacy and space away from the rest of the crew. Conversation wasn't necessary…Maggie let them sit in a comfortable silence, fingers loosely entwined for the short flight.

When the Raptor landed, Lee and Kara disembarked with Lee turning back toward Racetrack to thank her. She was already running her post flight checklist but looked up and nodded silently in their direction. Lee smiled in return then followed Kara over to the porter to have their passes checked.

While the attendant looked through their papers, Lee put an arm around her waist, drawing her close so he could talk quietly with her. "You wanna grab something to eat or head right up to our room?" He wasn't the least bit hungry, was in fact thinking food might just make him sick at the moment.

Kara's stomach wasn't up for it either. "Room. Still feeling like crap." She hated being fatigued, but Cottle said it would pass in a day or so. The cramping had gotten worse also. She just wanted a bed right now. And Lee.

Drawing her head to his shoulder, he kissed her temple. "Room it is, then." Frankly, he was relieved. He wanted to help her any way he could, but doubted he had it in him right now to make small talk during a meal. They could always order something in later if they wanted.

As they walked to their stateroom, Lee noticed Kara's hand massaging her abdomen. He silently took her rucksack and when she didn't argue, he was glad he did. He should have asked Cottle for something to ease her discomfort even though Kara told both of them she wasn't taking any meds. She felt she'd been on enough lately and they would keep her out of the air longer. Lee wasn't about to argue the point with her at the time.

He'd just have to dig out the set of instructions Ishay had written up for him on alternative ways to manage anything Kara might experience. The medic had handed him a bag also, but he'd just shoved it in his rucksack without checking the contents. Handing Kara the key card, he followed her through the door before asking, "Are the cramps bad?" He set the bags down to walk up behind her while she scanned the room.

Kara started at the question, shooting him a surprised glance. "I should have known you'd pick up on that." She grabbed his hands and placed them on her stomach then showed him where the cramping was the worst. "It hurts right here." She almost groaned when Lee's long fingers started to massage the muscles that had a mind of their own.

Walking her to the bed, Lee propped up the pillows and had Kara climb up and lean back against them. "Sit tight, I'll be right back." He grabbed their bags, placing them at the end of the bed. Stooping down, he unzipped his, dug out the set of instructions and fished around for the bag Ishay had provided.

As Kara lay back against the pillows she felt tired, achy and suddenly bitchy. The cramping had her back in a spasm and she was sick of it all. Being off the Galactica, with no chance of the alert sounding to distract her, had everything hitting all at once. Post traumatic stress from getting hit by enemy fire, hormones from the miscarriage, the nagging pain from the contraction of her uterus finally washed over her and to top it all off, tears were now forming in her eyes and she hated to cry. Closing her eyes, she fought against it, telling herself to get a grip and calm down.

Taking longer than he intended, Lee found a veritable treasure trove from Ishay. Her clear, concise directions suggested using heat for the cramping and indicated a box of heat packs was in the bag she'd provided. Tearing open the box, Lee grabbed two of the medium sized, air activated pads and stood…only to see tears dripping down the sides of Kara's face.

_Frak_. Throwing the pads on the bed, he scrambled up to her side fighting back momentary panic. He didn't know if hormones, pain, stress or her hating him were the cause of her tears. Hell…it could be all of the above.

Wrapping his arms around her, he settled her against him. "Kara." He had no idea what to say as he watched her dash the tears away with her hand. "I'm sorry." _Inadequate_. But he was struggling to help and didn't know how and it killed him.

Kara knew her emotions were all over the place, but when she tilted her head up to look at Lee, his face was full of concern and sorrow. She needed to be very clear about something with him. "Lee…this isn't your fault. It's not a 'you' thing, it's a 'we' thing." Her hand reached up, grabbing his chin bringing his gaze to hers. "We did this together, we're in it together." When she saw he understood she didn't blame him, she let her head fall back on his shoulder then dropped her hand to massage her side again.

He reached over to pick up the heat packs, which were already warm. "Layne said these would help ease the cramping." Lifting her shirt up a little, Lee placed each one side by side on her midsection. "Lords Kara, I wish I could do more." He tucked the hem of shirt around the bottom edge of the pack then kept his arm around her waist.

Kara appreciated Lee's attempt to help and the heat felt great, but they needed to get on with it already. Wiping the last traces of her momentary crying jag away, she sucked in a deep breath as she battled her emotions again…anger this time. At the two of them, two smart people who had frakked up royally.

Shoving her hand through her hair, she asked the biggest question on her mind. "Gods Lee, how could we be so stupid? Careless?" And that's what pissed her off…they hadn't been as careful as they should and the result was an unexpected loss for both of them.

Her thoughts jumped again and more words poured out as she worked through it in her head. "A kid? Now?" It was a 'could have been' question, something that still tripped her up. "We're not ready." The last part she whispered because she knew it with a certainty. Too many things stood in the way.

Lee completely agreed, but waited a beat before responding. "No. We're not." With a heavy sigh, he thought they might never be. He understood the President's desire to rebuild the bonds of family and maintain the human race, but he and Kara were a long way away from being able to contribute.

Kara's thoughts settled on his agreement; at least they were on the same page with that point. The big question would be whether they agreed about having children at some later date. For herself, she honestly didn't know if she'd ever be at a place where the thought didn't terrify her. She had no idea if Lee even wanted to start a family…and it was something she really should find out.

Angling her head back slightly, she looked up at Lee. He was lost in thought, eyes fixed on the wall but staring at nothing, his face a mask of concentration. Gods, she loved him.

Nudging him to get his attention, she popped out the big question, but used a quiet voice. "Do you want to have children?" She was almost afraid of the answer but jumped right in, knowing they needed to get it out of the way.

Not expecting the query, he said the first thing that sprang to mind. "Hell, Kara. I really don't know." And since he didn't, he tried to explain. "There's still so much we, meaning you and I, as well as the fleet, need to do." The endless running, planning, and keeping everyone safe kept him from even pondering the future. "Honestly, I haven't thought much about it. It's always something I put off for some future we may never even have." And there it was. How do you think about bringing kids into the life of two pilots who put their lives on the line every day?

Kara snorted in agreement. "Damn straight on not having a future." It was a reality they lived with everyday. She continued, honestly. "I never figured on having kids. Flying is the one thing I'm truly good at and pilots don't have babies." Kara added a tagline from the academy, altering it to fit them. "We might not make it back." Looking up at Lee, she asked. "Why do that to a kid?" In her mind it would be very selfish to put a child through potentially losing both parents in one go.

Lee felt the same. "Can't argue that." And he couldn't, although neither of them would be flying forever. "What happens if we can't fly anymore?" He rarely thought about it and wondered if Kara did.

Kara sucked her lower lip in, chewing on it thoughtfully before answering. "I've never considered it." Shooting him a glance, she turned slightly into his arms. "I always assumed I'd go out in a blazing ball of Viper fuel." Scooting down to a more comfortable position where she could see him while she talked, Kara continued. "And thinking about it now? Gods, Lee…we're running for our lives. Can you imagine how cruel it would be to bring a child into this mess?" Presidential plans notwithstanding, she couldn't see it happening.

Lee thought she had a point…many in fact. He'd never really let himself develop feelings one way or the other about becoming a parent. That wasn't exactly true…any feelings he had scared the hell out of him. "Truthfully, the thought terrifies me." Smiling at her shocked face, he continued, "Look, we joke about my control issues, but having a kid? There is no control." His voice went serious and quiet. "I honestly don't know how well I'd deal with that." And it made him feel like he was twelve to make that admission.

Kara smiled, picturing Lee standing in the middle of a stack of toys and clothes. She started chuckling then had to describe the scene so Lee didn't think she was losing it. He picked up on the humor and described a scenario himself. Kara dealing with diapers and bottles while she tried teaching a class of nuggets basic flight.

It struck them both and they laughed together, starting their healing process. It also opened the door for them to discuss the future; marriage, children, and being on the run. Sitting on the bed, holding onto each other, they made a conscious decision to continue taking things day by day and let the future unfold on its own. They agreed to revisit the topic of having a family only if, by some miracle, they found a place to settle or ended the running from the Cylons. As for marriage, neither felt the _need_ for a piece of paper to bind them together. They loved each other and were bound together in all the ways important to them.

Their conversation drifted when both started yawning as events finally caught up to them. Lee literally fell asleep mid-sentence and Kara lay beside him running her fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp until she succumbed as well.

After sleeping all the way through the night and into the next afternoon, Lee woke up feeling better than he had in ages. Kara was wrapped up in the blanket curled up next to him, her head resting against his chest. Turning to his side, he dropped his hand to her head, fingers smoothing the hair back off her face. She was so damn beautiful when she slept. Always beautiful to him, there was something about her when sleeping that sucked him in and held him enthralled.

Kara woke slowly and, thankfully, cramp free from a piece of hair tickling her nose. The heat packs Lee came through with had done the job. Stretching out, she smiled before opening her eyes to find Lee gazing at her like he did whenever he woke up first. As if she was a fascinating puzzle and he had all the time in the world to figure her out. The intensity of his gaze always made her hot and now was no different. Cottle told them they didn't have to wait for sex, but he recommended they take some time and ease back into things.

Leaning in to kiss Lee, a telltale rumble from her stomach broke the moment sending them both into chuckles. Lee dropped a kiss on her head before scrambling to the end of the bed to grab the handset and ask for a couple of meals to be delivered and left outside their door. Kara crawled up behind him, draping her arms around his shoulders as he spoke to the attendant, nodding her head when he shot her a questioning glance as he ordered for her.

Standing up to hang up the handset, Kara followed him off the bed snagging his hands, tugging him toward the bath. It was huge compared to their small one on the Galactica and they left a trail of clothes from the door to the shower enclosure. Holding Lee's gaze, Kara turned the knobs, adjusting the temperature until she was satisfied. Drawing Lee to her, they stood under the water, foreheads resting against each other before their lips met in cathartic kisses.

It wasn't about sex…it was about healing. Standing under the soft spray of warm water, arms wrapped around each other, lips meshed, they cleansed away their recent heartache.

When the water started to cool, they grabbed two soft, fluffy towels draped over the edge of a large, and for them, decadent looking tub. Kara wondered if they'd have time to use it at least once before they left.

After eating their waiting meals, Lee suggested they meander around the garden and courtyard the rest of the afternoon then order in something for dinner. Neither was all that anxious for company or the loud din of the various lounges on the ship.

Kara normally didn't enjoy having nothing to do, but the fake sunshine and numerous fountains somehow soothed away any remaining tension she had. Relaxed and feeling good, she let Lee talk her into sitting on the grass, both leaning back with their faces to the 'sky' as they watched the dwindling light fade into a night horizon complete with twinkling stars.

The day had flown by with conversations ranging in topic from favorite sports teams to books they'd both read. Kara had to laugh at Lee's shocked expression as she quoted several famous poets. She remembered almost everything her father had every said to her and he was a huge poetry fan.

Lee gave her goosebumps talking about Colonial law, a topic she had little interest in under usual circumstances. But Lee's passion for it made his words interesting and she found herself drawn into a lengthy dialog on archaic bylaws. She was amazed that they spent the entire afternoon conversing about everything but their jobs, the Galactica or flying. And it was wonderful.

Unable to remember a more relaxing day, Lee basked in discovery. Kara revealed facets to her personality he hadn't previously seen. You could live with a person, see them almost everyday and still find small nuances and territory you've never uncovered before.

Kara might not talk about literature or politics often, but as a woman with strong opinions, she brought interesting perspectives to the table when she did discuss them. Just because Kara didn't mention things, didn't mean she never thought about them. Their conversation throughout the day reminded him anew of how smart, witty, and whether she cared to admit it or not, philosophical she was.

By the time they sat to watch the changing horizon, he was shocked they made it the whole day without talking shop, with the exception of mentioning his father every once in a while. Whatever else happened, if they made it out of the conflict with the Cylons alive, Lee didn't doubt they'd be able to build a future around something other than the military. Confidence in their ability to love each other under any circumstances settled over him, making him happier than he could remember.

On their way back to the main resort area, Kara stopped and ordered dinner for them. They wandered around the various areas of entertainment, but didn't remain, content with just being together. Making their way to their stateroom, they found two entrees waiting outside the door. They entered and sat at a small table in the corner of the room, lingering over their meal, attention focused on each other.

As they finished up, Lee refilled their glasses and as the liquid poured from the decanter, something became crystal clear to him.

_Kara was it for him._

He would never, in any circumstance, love anyone the way he loved her. And to top it off, he knew…even though she'd probably never say it out loud…he _knew_ she felt the same way. Feeling like the last puzzle piece clicked into place, he set the pitcher back on the table, hiding a self-satisfied grin before picking up his glass. Catching Kara's eye, he silently toasted her before taking a sip then leaned back in his chair, content to watch as she polished off the last of her food.

Kara looked down at her plate and scooped up the last bite of mashed vegetables. Spooning it into her mouth, she reached for her glass, taking a long swallow to wash the food down. Catching the look on Lee's face, she almost choked, but caught herself.

He was doing the puzzle thing again…only this time there was a slightly victorious gleam in his eyes. Her body went suddenly hot causing a shiver to shoot down her spine only to be replaced by a slow warmth as she slid just a little bit deeper into the abyss.

Lee was her touchstone; her talisman of what was good about life. No one made her feel as alive or let her just be 'her' than he did. She'd thought she'd had that once, but knew now it wasn't close to the connection she had with Lee.

Gods the way he made her feel.

After everything they'd made it through, and after spending an almost perfect day together, she craved something tactile involving the senses. Sight, touch, sound, taste, smell. Smiling, she scooted her chair back and edged around the table to stand beside Lee's chair. Lifting her leg over his, she straddled his lap, moving her hips forward until she was comfortable.

Raising her eyes to Lee's, her smile slowly faded and she held his gaze, letting him see her love for him. Her features were totally unschooled, as her hand worked up under his shirt to skim along his ribs. A look of concern, or maybe fear entered his eyes and his brows drew together, but her steady gaze had him relaxing as his mouth opened to speak. Letting him hear her slight intake of breath, Kara didn't give him a chance to say anything. Her lips claimed his in a gentle kiss, passion tempered just under the surface but not brimming. Her tongue slid across his lips tasting the warmth of his mouth as she caught the faint scent that was uniquely his. Her hands cupped his face drawing him deeper into the kiss, which communicated everything she felt but couldn't say.

Lee's head was spinning. Not with passion, though that was there…but knowledge. His hands traveled up Kara's back in a soft caress until his fingers could twine with her hair edging her closer, pulling her further into the kiss. He spoke to her softly and quietly with his lips, saying things he wouldn't know how to begin to put into words. And he finally began to understand the meaning of a spiritual connection.

As the kiss ended, their eyes slid back and locked on each other again and Lee gently slid Kara off his lap. Taking her hands he led her to the bed where he reached into his rucksack and dug around until he found what he was looking for…Kara's carefully wrapped idols.

Glancing back at her, he removed them from his bag, placing them in her hands. "I know these are important to you and I thought you might want to say a prayer for our lost little soul." Relieved when her eyes shined back at him, he knew he'd been right.

Knowing Kara was fiercely private about her faith, Lee smiled at her cupping her chin, then took a step away to give her some space.

Touched beyond words, Kara's hand shot out, grasping Lee's as his eyes shot to her face. Smiling softly, she asked him earnestly, "Will you stay?" At his nod, her smile grew wide and she knelt on the floor while Lee followed suit, facing her.

Placing the idols on the floor between them, she reached out her hands and laced her fingers with Lee's. Giving his hands a gentle squeeze as they bowed their heads, Kara said quietly, "Lords of Kobol, hear our prayer."

FIN


	19. Chapter 19

Originally posted: November 14, 2006

PART 19

Kara slid out from under the Viper she was overhauling. They'd been back from their mandatory leave for five days and for the most part things were back to normal. People didn't ask her how she was anymore, assuming since she and Lee came back with smiles on their faces they were over the worst of it. And for the most part they were.

After they prayed over their lost soul, they both crawled into bed and slept, wrapped around each other, through the night. Getting up the next morning, both were a little sheepish at how easily they'd nodded off. Lee made a remark about it being weird…sleep…no claxons, alarms, or comm phones interrupting, but how nice it was to sleep through a night without the constant din of a Battleship in the background.

Kara couldn't disagree and for once was glad she hadn't bucked orders and tried to plod through dealing with the miscarriage on her own by working herself into exhaustion. The couple of days away from everyone and everything were good for them as they took time to stop and think, without interruption, about being together and where they were headed.

Being on the same page about having, or in their case, not having kids was a huge relief to her. And they were back in sync as well. Lee's gesture with the icons spoke volumes about how much he understood her since she rarely discussed her spirituality. That alone should prove they were back to that indescribable connection.

Except they weren't.

They hadn't been together since the miscarriage. Okay…that wasn't true, they'd been together in the sense they'd held each other, slept wrapped up in each other's arms, shared kisses that bordered on being obscene…but Lee backed off every time they came close to moving beyond the kissing.

It was making her insane.

She knew he wanted her, could feel it when she woke up in the morning, his hard cock pressed against her. But Lee never stayed in bed long enough to do anything about it. He'd drop a kiss on her head or shoulder, roll out of bed and hit the shower…a cold shower. The lack of any trace of steam when he finished indicated he was freezing his ass off to deal with being aroused.

And it was pissing her off.

Only she had a pretty good idea why Lee was behaving the way he was. Why he was holding himself in check. And it wasn't a fear of hurting her or that it was too soon for them to resume their physical relationship…Cottle told them it was fine anytime they were ready.

No…it had nothing to do with the physical.

Kara would almost bet the house on the reason.

Lee Adama was scared out of his mind.

_Frak. _

Why she hadn't thought of it before was beyond her. But they'd been busy and working opposite shifts since they returned and she didn't think twice about it at first. Shaking her head, Kara snagged a rag and wiped her hands clean of the grease left behind from the Viper. Since they'd hooked up, they'd never gone more than a couple of days without one them making a move. Unless they weren't on the same ship.

She knew Lee understood she didn't blame him for what happened. But Lee being Lee…he wouldn't just stop beating himself up over it, either. And knowing him, he had excuses and reasons all neatly wrapped up and compartmentalized in that wonderful brain of his. Now that they'd been back almost a week and still hadn't found or taken the time to resume their physical relationship she could kick herself for not forcing the issue sooner.

She'd be changing that right quick.

Walking over to the Chief's workstation she picked up a clipboard and checked off a series of boxes then handed it to him. "We need a shitload of parts for that Viper, Chief." Shrugging out of the top of the coveralls, she continued. "You got an ETA for me?" _Let it be tomorrow, let it be tomorrow_.

Galen glanced at the list and shook his head. "Captain, it'll be at least a day before I can get to this." Tyrol tossed the clipboard on the growing stack in the center of his station.

Kara grinned. "No problem, Chief. I'll finish up next shift." Turning to walk away, she paused and glanced back at Tyrol. "You seen the Major?" She might as well hunt Lee down now.

Galen flicked his glance toward the office. "He's holed up in there. I heard him muttering something about fitness reports and murder." Chuckling at the last part, he turned back to his messy workstation and started organizing the various boards strewn across the top.

Kara smiled again as she headed for the office. He was probably plotting her demise since she was the one who'd completed the reports on the new batch of nuggets. She had a new class to gear up for and didn't want them hanging over her head.

The hatch was partially open so Kara peered around the corner, poking her head inside. "Is it safe to come in?" Lee looked up from the stack of files sitting in front of him with a quizzical look on his face. "Tyrol overhead something about murder…just wanted to make sure it's not me you're planning on taking out." Still smiling, she stepped into the office and dogged the hatch.

Lee chuckled then flipped the file closed with a sigh. "I should be…considering you're the one who buried me under this mountain of paper." The grin on his face and teasing tone belied the words.

They'd been working apart, playing catch up on the things that pile up when you're gone for a few days. But he was glad to see her, had even just been thinking about her. The fact that she'd been naked in his thoughts wasn't lost on him. Not being with her was maddening…yet he kept denying himself the pleasure.

He couldn't handle it if he frakked up again…the image of her bleeding in the cockpit of the Viper was hard to let go of. Those few minutes were like a freeze frame imbedded in his head and he was struggling to move beyond them. And he knew it was stupid, but there it was.

Leaning back against the bulkhead, Kara studied Lee as he straightened up the desk. Trying to decide if she should just be her usual bold self and seduce him on the spot, or if she should attempt a conversation with him regarding his fear. She wasn't completely sure that's what was going on with him, but her instincts said it was…and she was going with her gut on this one.

While Lee gathered up the fit reps, Kara made her way around the desk, leaning against it as Lee stowed the files in a drawer. The play of muscle along his back as he moved made her hot and her pussy tingled…but she waited until he leaned back in the chair, eyebrow raised cockily, before she fully made up her mind.

_Seduction on the spot it is._

Her face must have given her plan away because Lee closed his eyes, dropped his back and groaned. Kara's lips quirked in a smile as she straddled his lap and felt his erection even through her coveralls. The burning heat between her legs hit her hard again and she grew moist with the thought of sliding over him.

Lee's arms went around her and his mouth opened to speak, but Kara didn't give him a chance to say anything. Her head dipped, her lips catching his while her fingers slid though his hair. She poured every ounce of how much she wanted him into the kiss and he responded with nearly unbridled passion. Kiss melted into kiss, their breaths mingled hotly together as both gasped for air.

Kara's fingers had Lee's shirt undone and sliding off his shoulders before he realized what was happening. She felt him tense and increased the pressure of her lips against his while grinding her hips against his cock. He was trapped here…no shower in sight…and she didn't plan on letting him escape.

Lee broke the kiss abruptly, turning his head to the side, gasping. "Kara…wait." Still trying to draw air into his lungs, his hands cupped her face and held it. Eyes glazed with passion, he dragged another breath in before continuing. "Are you sure about this?" He knew it wasn't rational, knew she didn't blame him, but he truly was afraid they weren't ready yet. His brain couldn't go any further than that.

Kara turned her face into his palm and pressed a kiss onto it. "Lee. I'm okay." She grabbed his hands, holding them between hers. "We're okay." Letting go of his hands, she lifted up her tanks and drew them over her head, dropping them on the desk.

Leaning forward, her fingers made quick work of getting his shirt off while her lips teased his, mumbling between kisses, "And I want you." Scooting off his lap, Kara stood, hauling him up as well so she could free the uniform shirt off his hands. "Now." A husky laugh escaped her throat as Lee's lips devoured the skin along her neck.

_Mission accomplished. _

Lee's lips left her throat only briefly while she worked his tanks up, giving them a quick yank over his head. Once his chest was bare, he molded her to him his hands traveling smoothly up her back. One hand continued upward wrapping around her nape tilting her head back so he could ghost kisses under her chin. The other hand whispered back down so it could cup her ass, bringing her hips flush with his.

Groaning at the contact, Kara worked her fingers between them and started undoing Lee's pants. Slipping the button free she had just begun on the zipper when his mouth closed over hers and she lost the ability to think. Her hands grabbed his shoulders, her knees started to give and she had to sit against the desk for support.

Lee's sexy laugh against her ear shot a shiver of heat down her spine and frantic need spurred her back into action. Grasping his zipper again, she had it halfway down when the call came over the comm.

"Pass the word. Major Adama report to Commander Adama in CIC. Pass the word. Major Adama report to CIC."

Breaking away from Kara, Lee hissed out a breath before muttering in frustration. "Frraaakk." He'd been expecting the call to meet with his father, but the timing couldn't be worse.

Kara grabbed his hips drawing him back to her, while Lee reached for his tanks. Sitting up her lips brushed over his shoulder and she whispered against his skin. "Stay." She was hot and wet and didn't want to stop now that they'd started.

After Lee drew his shirts over his head and arms, her lips traveled up the column of his throat while he shoved the hem into his pants and zipped up. Tongue darting over his bottom lip, her mouth met his in another kiss.

Lee let Kara draw him in again; deepening the kiss himself as his hands cupped her face. Rational thought fled and he was leaning her back against the desk when the comm sounded and the message repeated for him to report to CIC.

Pulling back in disappointment, Lee rested his head on Kara's shoulder. "Dammit. I don't want to leave you. Not now." He was breathing hard and his pants were uncomfortably tight.

Kara knew he didn't want to go and was certain she'd accomplished at least part of her goal. As Lee's lips nuzzled her shoulder, she reached for her shirts.

Pulling them over her head, she nodded. "But you have to." If a third call went out, they'd have a squadron of marines searching for him. She slid off the desk and helped Lee get his uniform buttoned up again. Grabbing his hands before he tucked it in, she asked, "Finish this later?" Relief washed over her when he nodded.

With a feral grin, Lee replied roughly, "Count on it." Unable to resist, he pulled her into one more kiss then snatched a file from the edge of the desk. "You off shift?" When she nodded she was, he threw an arm around her shoulder while she undogged the hatch and hinted at later. "This shouldn't take long…" he whispered it against her ear as they walked through the hatch, "Are you headed for quarters?"

His voice making her hot all over again, Kara shuddered slightly. She could only nod while thinking she'd make him pay later for doing that.

Seeing the heat flare in her eyes, Lee decided this would be the fastest briefing he ever gave his father. "Then we'll pick up where we left off." Holding the file up as he moved away, he turned slightly to add, "Soon." Watching her head toward quarters, he picked up his pace to get to CIC.

Kara entered quarters still keyed up and hot for Lee. Stripping off her coveralls and tanks, she grabbed a quick shower. Pulling a trick from his book, she made it a cold one. Not that it helped.

Only Lee could do that.

Needing a distraction, she threw on some comfortable clothes then sat at the desk to organize her list of new recruits for the next flight class. Not ready to focus on it yet, her thoughts turned to Lee's briefing with the old man. The file he left with was thick but not bulging so she assumed it was some type of report. Wondering what it was all about, she glanced at the clock, annoyed that only five minutes had passed.

Leaning back, she opened the roster of recruits and shuffled through the pile trying to keep her mind off Lee, sex and any combination of the two. Feeling antsy, she squirmed in the chair trying to find a comfortable position, finally settling with one leg propped up, her ankle resting on the opposite knee, foot bouncing up and down with nervous energy.

Twenty minutes later, she'd read through half the profiles of new recruits. When she read the same one three different times she glanced at the clock, realizing 30 minutes had passed. Slapping the file closed, she stood and walked around the desk, the dull ache between her legs intensifying into throbbing need.

Kara paced around the living area cursing the earlier interruption. If she weren't so frustrated, she'd laugh at herself. It's not as if she and Lee hadn't gone without sex for extended periods of time before. But in many ways their time on Cloud 9 changed their relationship…deepened it…and she wanted him more now than ever.

Forty-five minutes after he met with his father, Lee was headed back to quarters. He hadn't finished the entire briefing but the commander didn't miss his constant shifting and complete distraction. They'd been in mid-conversation when Adama stopped talking and looked closely at him for several long seconds.

One side of his dad's mouth quirked in a tiny bit of a smile and suddenly Lee was dismissed. And he didn't argue. Lee didn't care why or how the Commander knew he'd rather be somewhere else at the moment, he was grateful to be on his merry way back to quarters.

Just thinking about the almost sex earlier had him kicking himself. Again. He should have told Kara he had nightmares about dragging her out of the cockpit, vivid, scary, blood-soaked dreams that woke him up and hit him during the waking hours as well.

He could almost hear Kara's reaction if he told her. She'd roll her eyes, tell him he was an idiot and the sooner he accepted that she was fine the sooner they could move on already. Grinning, he walked across the hanger deck confident he wouldn't be dreaming about it anymore.

Standing outside quarters, about to undog the hatch Lee heard his name hailed from behind. He turned to see Hot Dog and Kat exiting their living space and head his way. "Frak," muttering softly, he cringed at the delay, but turned toward his pilots. "What can I do for you two?" His promise to himself of being available to his pilots had a nasty habit of biting him in the ass sometimes.

Kat hurried across the causeway. "Major. We'd like to request authorization to use the simulators, sir." She used her best pleading look, hoping to coax permission.

Hot Dog had caught up by this point and threw his two cubits in. "We've got a new simulation disc we want to try out." He flinched when Kat whacked him on the shoulder.

Out of the corner of her mouth, she hissed. "Shut up, Brenden." New discs were supposed to go to Kara first.

Hot Dog winced. In his excitement to be the first to run the battle sequence he'd blown it.

Lee shut his eyes for a moment, thinking about Kara waiting for him in quarters versus wasting time by saying no. He made a quick decision. "Permission granted." He stopped them both in their tracks before they could take off. "You do remember Captain Thrace will be starting a new class next week, right?" His implication was clear. Don't frak anything up or they'd have the wrath of Starbuck to deal with.

Not to mention he would, too.

Both pilots grinned and assured him they'd do no harm. He hoped for all their sakes they didn't.

Swinging open the hatch, he stepped into quarters and turned to close it when he felt Kara's arms slide around him. That simple action sent blood rushing to his groin and his cock stiffened in anticipation while Kara's fingers started on his buttons.

Grinning widely he waited until she had his shirt undone before turning around and cupping her ass to pull her toward him. "Hey." His hands moved up her back as she pushed his shirt from his shoulders. "Picking up where we left off?"

Kara's sultry smile answered his greeting as she backed him against the wall. "Less talking, more stripping." She met his lips as his head dipped and his hands lifted her shirt up.

Pulling her arms out of the sleeves, she took over and lifted the shirt over her head letting it fall to the floor. Her fingers reached for Lee's trousers and she made quick work of unfastening them while he divested himself of the tanks.

Stepping out of his pants, Lee watched as Kara removed hers then kicked both pairs out of her way as she advanced toward him. She backed him against the wall again; eager to pick up where they left off earlier. Her lips and hands teased over his skin and he was lost. Utterly.

Why the hell had he avoided this? Fear, that's why. Scared of what could happen if they weren't careful, fearful he'd be dragging her out of a cockpit again, afraid of not having control over anything.

But he never had control…not with Kara. And fighting his desire for her was exhausting not to mention stupid. Cold showers and avoiding the issue would never be the answer with her. Ever. The answer was losing himself inside her just like she did with him. He was a moron for forgetting that.

Lee's focus returned to the woman leaving trails of hot kisses over his chest. Scooping her close, his mouth devoured hers as his arms banded around her body. Switching their positions, Lee moved Kara against the wall so he could have a turn sliding his lips over her skin. Starting at her shoulder, he inched his way down until he drew a taut nipple gently between his teeth.

Kara bucked against the wall feeling as if she were melting into it as she gasped Lee's name. One of his hands trailed down her thigh to lift it then slid up to cup her ass. The other went to work stroking her already wet pussy while his mouth moved its way back up her neck.

Kara's lips hit whatever skin she could find, teeth nipping, tongue tasting as the heat between them raised another notch. She grew hot with need and couldn't wait to have him inside her…but her brain was on overload and she couldn't think straight. Lee was making up for lost time…and when his finger slipped inside her she lost her ability to string thoughts together. Everything was centered on the man driving her insane.

Lee felt Kara's legs tremble, knowing she was as ready as he was. His lips didn't leave her skin as he gathered her to him, lifting her off her feet. As her legs wrapped around him, her mouth bit gently along the column of his throat and his cock swelled painfully. He needed to be inside her…soon. He turned towards the bedroom, his thoughts centered on how quickly he could get them to the bed so he could bury himself in her.

Kara's hips writhed against Lee's and she wanted him…immediately. She didn't want to wait the ten steps it would have taken to get into the sleeping area, so she whispered harshly against his ear. "Lee…desk." Her head jerked sideways and she tightened her legs around him bumping against his erection. "Now…please now." Her mouth found his as he made a beeline for the closer location.

Breaking the kiss, Lee placed Kara on the desk and slid home before she even had a chance to lay back. "Gods Kara." She was so incredibly hot he nearly came right then. He didn't move, just savored the feel of her heat wrapped around his cock. Giving her a minute to get used to him again, he gazed down at her and wanted to freeze the moment. She was beautiful and wanton and everything in the world to him.

Brushing his lips over hers, he started moving inside her, whispering next to her ear. "I love you. Always." Her answering groan had him surging against her as she raised her hips to meet his.

Lee's whisky smooth voice always robbed her of reason and now was no different. Her whole body was aflame. Meeting Lee thrust for thrust she managed to gasp out a single word. "Always." Then gave herself over to the fire coursing through her and just let her senses take over.

Her hands grasped Lee's arms and she held on while the friction between them spun out of control. Wrapping her legs around his she urged him to a faster pace. Her ears heard only the sound of their breaths rasping together, increasing as they edged closer to oblivion. A long, slow shudder started making its way through her body as Lee's hand slid under her, cupping the curve of her behind, as he held steady while moving against her.

Sliding closer to the brink, her brain blurred out everything but Lee, spurring her toward the precipice of pleasure. Gripping his arms tighter, her fingers dug in as she tried to hold on to the elusive moment just before she broke, shattering around him, calling his name with a hoarse whisper.

Lee's tentative control snapped just as she hit her release. His cock swelled, and buried deep wave after wave of satisfaction hit him until he couldn't stand it anymore finally coming hard, his breath hissing out in gasps of air. His vision went dark as pinpoints of light burst in his head. And the only sound he could hear was a loud roaring in the back of his mind.

Gathering Kara to him, he held her close, fingers stroking over her hair as they both tried to find their way back to normal. Opening his eyes, his vision was still blurry but the roar in his ears had settled to a faint buzzing sound. Giving his head a shake to clear it, he realized Kara was reaching for the comm phone on the wall next to the desk. That explained the buzzing.

It took Kara a few moments before she even heard the phone. Lee was still buried inside her and she didn't want to move but the stupid thing wouldn't quit blaring its annoying tone. Glancing at Lee, she knew she was going to have to answer…he was still reeling from the sex.

Grabbing the handset, her voice came out as a croak. "Capt—" Clearing her throat, she tried again. "Captain Thrace." _This better be damned important_. At least they actually got a chance to finish this time.

She listened for a moment then muttered tersely, "Frak," while shaking her head back and forth.

Lee snapped back quickly just by looking at Kara's face. Whatever she was hearing wasn't good. Easing himself out of her and he helped her stand while she listened to the other end of the conversation. He waited beside her until she rolled her eyes and moved around the desk searching out a pen and paper.

While she asked for a series of numbers and jotted them down, he gathered up their clothing and carried the pile over to the desk. He then neatly sorted the items into his and hers stacks while she finished up the conversation and hung up the handset before turning back to face him. The look on her face was part amused, part frustrated.

Not having a clue, Lee asked as he handed over her pile of clothes. "Trouble?" He had a sneaking suspicion whatever it was involved him.

While Kara pulled on her clothes, she teasingly filled Lee in. "Somebody gave Kat and Hot Dog permission to run a new disc…" She glanced pointedly at Lee while speaking, "And apparently they've managed to get it so badly out of sequence it's frakking up the simulators." She made her way over to a half dressed Lee. "What moron would give Kat and Hot Dog a new sim that hadn't been tested yet?" Unable to hold a straight face, she burst out laughing when Lee just stared at her with mortification.

Oh…there were two pilots who were going to be lucky not to get double shifts for a month. He specifically told them not to muck things up with the new sim disc. At least Kara was laughing about it and not taking off his head.

Jerking on the rest of his clothes, Lee replied sardonically, "Number one moron, at your service," Standing, he tugged her to him and fixed an apologetic look on his face. "If I promise to tear a strip off their hides, will you let me off the hook." Her blinding grin was his answer and he couldn't resist adding, "Besides, they caught me just outside the hatch and the only thing on my mind was you at the time. So much so, Dad dismissed me from the briefing because I wasn't concentrating." He got full-blown laughter at that as she backed out of his arms and leaned over to grab the information she'd jotted down.

Shoving the paper in her pocket, Kara sat to shove her feet into her shoes. "Right." How could she be pissed at him for that?

Her head angled upward and she let him off the hook. "You get a pass this time…" Standing again, she made her way to the hatch. "But don't be surprised if I'm gone most of the night trying to fix what your idiot pilots messed up." Her hand reached to release the hatch but his closed over it before she could.

It was funny how the pilots became his when they frakked something up. Stepping up behind her, Lee brushed her hair aside so he could nuzzle her throat. "So I know where I'll find you after I ream _my_ idiot pilots?" Her sexy laugh followed by a tiny shudder as his lips slid down her neck had his blood heating again so he did the smart thing and put some space between them.

Kara turned in Lee's loose embrace and drew his head down for a kiss. She packed it full of promises for later then stepped back, grinning at the look on his face. Seduction on the spot had worked like magic. Now they had a little lost time to make up for.

Pulling open the hatch, she paused before stepping through. "Find me later? After dealing with the pilots and rebriefing the old man?" It felt good to just know exactly what he'd be doing before he had a chance to say anything.

Lee shook his head; amazed they were back to that uncanny link to each other's thoughts. "You got it." Checking the time, he added, "Give me a couple of hours…I'll help out however I can to get the sims back online." He followed her out the hatch then laughed when she tossed off a mock salute before cutting across the hanger deck to make her way to the Sim Room.

As for himself, he decided to hit the mess area to see if Kat and Hot Dog were there before he met with his father. He'd have to remember to thank Adama for cutting him loose earlier, a true statement to how much their relationship had progressed. It might be time for him to talk to his dad about everything as well. Another perspective never hurt.

Not much for praying, Lee nevertheless tossed of a quick thank you to the gods for blessing him with people who mattered. He couldn't ask for much more than having Kara in his life and a father who finally seemed to get him.

All in all…he was a damn lucky man.

FIN


	20. Chapter 20

Originally posted: January 18, 2007

PART 20

Gaius Baltar was in a pissy mood when he exited the Raptor after landing back on Galactica. It was odd how much he considered the battleship home. He'd been gone for over two weeks, since the day after his latest attempt to make headway with Captain Kara Thrace.

The President had called him over to Colonial One for a round of supremely boring meetings with the Quorum of Twelve. To top it off she then made him spend a day with each council member visiting the various people they represented. In his mind, spending inordinate amounts of time with the Quorum was beneath him. He had better, more important work to complete. Never mind he was nowhere close to actually making any headway.

To alleviate his boredom, he ducked out with an assistant or aide, whenever possible, to steal a few hours of physical pleasure. He even tagged a journalist covering the Quorum meeting…a blonde one…Playa Something. It was the only thing that made the past two plus weeks bearable.

He never stopped pondering a certain feisty captain though. Always fascinated with her, his interest had grown since Ellen Tigh had moved off ship. Gaius Baltar wanted Kara Thrace.

Badly.

She was brash and beautiful. Even if she rarely sought his presence Baltar found himself completely under her spell. He would never understand why such a vibrant, full of life woman would waste her time with Major Adama.

It frustrated him when she didn't react to any of his attempts to gain her attention. The news about the major and that Raptor pilot…nothing. He'd been certain that would get a rise out of her. Getting called away directly after dropping that bomb prevented him from following up and pressing his suit. Stepping off the ramp onto the flight deck, Baltar brooded about speeding up his campaign to win over the lovely captain when he overheard a snippet of conversation that gave him hope.

Kat was talking to Racetrack, explaining why she had to pull double maintenance shifts. Something about punishment for frakking up the Sim Room. The CAG laid down the law not more than an hour ago and went straight to a briefing with the Commander.

Gaius followed the two pilots around the Raptor catching bits and pieces of the discussion and from what he gleaned, the Captain and the Major were coming off a couple of very rough weeks. The Viper pilot mentioned being thankful the major didn't have time to truly tear into them since the crap he'd been dealing with recently made his temper short anyway. That was lovely news to Baltar's ears.

Gaius didn't want to give himself away as an eavesdropper so he couldn't hear the entire conversation as their voices dropped to low tones but the he did hear that Captain Thrace was 'beyond pissed' about something and that Major Adama was in a worse mood than when…something Gaius couldn't make out…followed by sleeping in the office.

Those words made him giddy. Relief, victory, lust…all swam through his head. His efforts had finally paid off if the Major was ensconced in his office.

Smiling at what he considered good news, he ducked out of hearing range then glanced down at his dark, rumpled suit. He decided his first stop would be his quarters so he could make himself presentable. Then…he was headed to C Deck to make his mark with the woman he hoped to lure into bed. Raking his fingers through his hair, he strutted through the corridors imagining the upcoming diversion in his head along with what he hoped would happen afterwards.

She wouldn't be able to resist him this time.

Lee met with Adama in his quarters to finish the briefing from earlier, grateful the commander didn't ask for an explanation for his inattention. He would be hard pressed to fake an excuse and wouldn't, for any amount of cubits, be comfortable telling his dad the reason he was so distracted. There were some things a man just didn't share with a parent.

Having a fairly good idea why the commander was asking for fit reps on veteran and current pilots, Lee didn't press for information. If his guess was right and they were going to be planning another mission, he knew from experience, Adama would meet with Roslin before giving the go ahead. The President used Lee less frequently as a go between now that she had a handle on how his father worked.

He didn't mind in the least. She found plenty of other projects to occupy time he sometimes didn't have. Lee was hard pressed to say 'no' to her though. Affection not withstanding, he respected the things she set out to accomplish.

After completing his report, Lee asked his dad if he had some time free. When the Commander indicated he was off shift, they spent another hour talking about a number of things, primarily how Kara and he were holding up after the miscarriage. Since they were on the subject, Lee took the opportunity to fill Adama in on the conversation he and Kara had regarding children and marriage.

William poured himself another drink then settled back on the couch. "So…what you're saying is," He looked up while swirling the amber liquid in his glass, "President Roslin won't be adding to her white board with a contribution from you anytime soon?" He flashed a small smile Lee's way and shook his head. "It makes sense to wait, son." As much as he'd welcome a grandchild, he couldn't disagree with their choices. The reasoning was sound…it would be hell trying to raise a child when both its parents could go out and not come back.

Besides…he was just enough of a traditionalist to hope they might marry before bestowing him with grandkids.

Surprised at the relief he felt and deciding not to examine it too closely, Lee chuckled lightly. "Not in the foreseeable future anyhow." He finished off his drink then rose figuring he'd make an escape before the commander could press him about the marriage aspect of his relationship.

Wishing his father a good night, Lee exited quarters to make his way to the Sim Room. He wanted to help Kara fix the program so they could head home and make up for lost time.

Kara laid underneath one of the Viper simulators reloading the base program wondering how the hell nuggets she had passed could frak up the sims so completely. Most of the major glitches were worked out but she was still fuming about the time it was taking to deal with the issue when she heard the hatch open. Assuming it was Lee, she kept up her rather colorful commentary while finishing the upload of information.

Freshly showered and changed, Gaius Baltar stood just inside the hatch listening to Kara grumble about the twisted, torturous things she'd like to do to a couple of people. From the sound of her voice, she wasn't pleased to be stuck under a simulator when there were other things she could be doing. Even her temper turned him on.

Grinning snidely to himself, he made his presence known. "Well hello there." He walked forward, searching for the sound of Kara's voice. "Someone's not very happy." Finally spotting her legs, Gaius stopped by the second simulator and waited for acknowledgement.

Kara bit back a groan. Baltar was the last person she'd been expecting or wanted to see. Closing up the panel, she slid out from under the simulator and sat looking up at the weird man not bothering to say anything. Maybe he'd leave if she didn't engage in conversation.

Frowning when she didn't respond, Baltar offered his hand to assist Kara to a standing position. When she ignored it and stood on her own, he felt the sting of dismissal. It didn't sit well with him but he assumed she was feeling rather put out with men in general at the moment…he'd do his best to change that feeling.

Smiling brightly, he turned on the charm. "It's lovely to see you again, Captain." There was a smudge of grime on her face so pointed it out but refrained from clearing the spot himself…a little too soon for that type of familiarity. "It's rather been a while." As she wiped the area with her fingertips, he was content to watch.

Kara couldn't remember if she'd seen him since his little 'chat session' regarding Lee and Racetrack, yet here he stood assuming she kept track of when she bumped into him. Shrugging her shoulder, she replied, shortly. "Hadn't noticed." Turning away from Baltar, she strode to the console to spool up a program to verify she'd caught all the glitches.

A bit deflated by the fact that he'd been gone for over two weeks and she barely acknowledged it, Gaius fixed a pleasant smile on his face before continuing. "Yes." Needing to puff up his own importance he added on, "I was working closely with the President." Kara only flashed a quick glance in his direction as she kept working.

Baltar's brow wrinkled that she seemed unimpressed, so he decided to pile on more information. "I've spent the past couple of weeks out and about in the fleet getting to know the lovely people who voted me into office." There…that should be impressive…even to the capable captain.

Kara looked over at the weasely man curious at what angle he was trying to play. She had zero desire to stand here and converse with him…wanted to finish fixing the stupid mess Kat and Hot Dog left behind so she could go home. He may have been out 'playing among the people' but she'd been dealing with a load of crap…a load he'd contributed to and she had to wonder if maybe Lee was onto something when he voiced concern about the bizarre doctor.

She shook her head slightly but didn't pause in her work. "That's great. Bet it was loads of fun." As if she gave a frak how he spent his time. "Been a little busy here. One thing on top of another." Looking pointedly at the console she hoped he'd take a hint.

Now they were on the subject he wanted to discuss. "Yes, I heard you've had a rough go of it lately." He slid forward, angling up right next to Kara. Dropping his voice, he smoothly used the information he thought he had. "It's probably better it happened now rather than later." Baltar thought he'd finally hit on something when her fingers froze over the keyboard.

Kara's back stiffened at his words and a creepy feeling skittered down her spine. _Better what happened now?_ She felt Baltar move closer, could feel his breath on her neck as her fingers rested lightly on the console. She opted to not say anything just waited to see how he was going to play his hand.

With no response from Kara, Baltar had to make a choice. He wanted the woman standing before him the moment he met her and rarely did he deny himself what he wanted. Working on the assumption that her relationship with the junior Adama had finally ended he chose to make a play.

Lifting his hand, he reached around and cupped her chin. "I've always wanted you, you know?" He turned her face toward him, shooting her a rakish look, "Why don't you let me take your mind off things for a bit?" Confidence high, he missed the flat look in her eyes as his fingers brushed the side of her face.

Kara wondered if he actually had a clue as to what she and Lee had been through or if he was just testing the waters. _Take her mind off things?_ As if. And who was Gaius Frakking Baltar to think he could? The guy was a piece of work.

Locking up her revulsion, Kara asked sweetly. "Is that what you think I need?" Relaxing a bit, she added casually, "And how would you go about occupying my mind?" She knew exactly what his thoughts were when his eyes flared hotly. And yeah…he was off his nut. Lee had been on the money with that one.

Taking a step closer to Kara, Baltar pitched his voice low. "Not to brag, but I can think of several marvelous things I could do to help you forget." His hand went to her hip and when she didn't step away, he pulled her closer to him. "I never pegged you for a settled down with children type anyway." He completely missed the sucked in breath she took at his words…lost as he was in her presence.

Kara closed her eyes and counted to five. She'd refrain from punching him until she figured out what the hell he thought she needed.

Boldly staring at him, Kara asked. "Is that right? What exactly did you have in mind for a distraction?" Looking at the twitchy man, she wondered, not for the first time, why he seemed to be fascinated with her.

Gaius took a moment to savor his perceived victory. If he weren't so caught up in the moment, he would have wondered why she capitulated so quickly. But ego as his constant companion urged him forward.

"For starters, I thought maybe this…" Tilting his head toward her, he brushed his lips over hers lightly then pulled back. When Kara didn't object, Baltar angled in again, not realizing until it was too late that her eyes were flat and emotionless.

It didn't matter that her lips were cold because he was finally kissing her. Finally. By his estimation, luring her into bed couldn't be far behind. Her lack of passionate response still didn't register with him until his face was shoved up against the side of the wall her hand applying pressure until it made his head pound. It's not how he expected things to go at all. A little dazed at the spot he found himself in Baltar tried to shake his head free but was effectively trapped with his arm wrenched up behind his back.

Wiping her mouth with her free hand, Kara all but growled. "You never said why you think I need a distraction, Doc." Her hand pressed his face a little bit harder. "Care to explain?"

Baltar yelped as his arm was twisted a little further. "I…owww…" He hissed out in pain. "I think there's been a misunderstanding."

Kara rolled her eyes. "Really?" She let go of him but grabbed his shoulder and shoved him hard against the wall her hand sliding to his throat. "You stroll in here like you've got a right to do so. Tell me you've always wanted me…" She shuddered, not bothering to hide her disgust. "Exactly what did I misunderstand, Gaius?" She watched him squirm while he tried to come up with an answer. If she weren't so pissed off it would be laughable.

Both were surprised to hear from behind them, "I'd love the answer to that myself." Lee had entered just as Kara shoved Baltar against the wall.

When her head turned toward him, he searched her gaze and assessed she had things under control. He relaxed slightly and nodded at her. She had the upper hand and didn't appear to be hurt.

With his hands trying to loosen Kara's grip, Baltar asked in garbles tones. "Here to offer assistance Major?" He knew he'd grossly miscalculated, but he attempted to salvage something of his pride.

Lee snorted. "Doesn't look like I need to." Glancing at Kara, his eyebrows rose in question. "You need assistance, Kara?" For all intents and purposes, he looked as if he hadn't a care in the world. Inside he was coiled and ready.

Kara rolled her eyes then turned back to Baltar. "Nah…I got this covered." Letting the smarmy man go, she stepped back but didn't let him move forward. "Let's hear it, Doc." She couldn't wait to hear him try to weasel out of this one.

Baltar made a big show of straightening his once again rumpled clothing while his mind spun with possible explanations. The buzzing in his head didn't help matters and his cheeks flushed with humiliation on dual fronts. He stood quietly, eyes closed as he sought to calm the swirling sounds flying around in his brain.

Lee observed Baltar, his lips moving as if in conversation and wondered, not for the first time if the man was just a little insane.

Growing impatient, he stepped away from the bulkhead snapping his fingers. "Waiting on an answer, Mr. Vice President." It was a subtle nudge, but one Lee hoped would snap him back to reality. "What exactly did you misunderstand?"

Gaius blinked then focused on the couple standing in front of him. "I, uh…" Stalling for time, he smoothed his hands down his shirtfront again before answering. "I was under the impression that, um…" Judging Kara's set features, he had no hope of salvaging anything from this debacle so he rushed his explanation. "Scuttlebutt had it that the Captain was unattached…I realize now that isn't the case." It was lame, he knew it and from the looks on both their faces, they knew it also.

Lee shook his head back and forth. "For a guy with all those letters after your name, you're not very smart." He walked with purpose to stand in front of the vice president.

Kara was quick to agree. "Damn straight." It was starting to sink in, just how far Baltar had gone to create trouble between them. "The rule on scuttlebutt? Never believe anything you hear and only half of what you see." She gave Lee a pointed glance and watched as things clicked into place for him, too.

Not letting his anger show, Lee passed along some friendly advice. "You might want to be sure you have your facts straight before spreading misinformation…unless that's your end goal." Which all three knew it was…now.

Baltar gulped, realizing it was time to get out while he still could. Ducking between the couple he made his way to the hatch. He had a feeling he was lucky to be getting out with his hide still intact.

Lee opted to let him go…for now. Turning to Kara, he shot her a look that spoke volumes.

Kara just shook her head, "Don't even." Shuddering a little, she added. "Gods, I feel like I need a shower." She had a very good idea how Lee felt after Ellen put her hands on him.

Lee completely understood the feeling. "Go. I'll finish up here." Glancing at the program on the console, it looked like she'd worked out the problem. "I'll do a test run then meet you in quarters." He snagged her hand as she walked past him, drawing her into his arms.

Kara resisted at first. Lee had been right about Baltar and she should have seen it. Her embarrassment warred with her temper as she mulled over the extent of Baltar's machinations. Lee's arms didn't lessen their hold and she finally relaxed into them.

She could beat herself up for being stupid or she could set this aside as a lesson learned. Baltar was still an ass, would always be one and vigilance was the key to end further manipulation. Letting out a soft sigh, Kara decided Lee's inner voice would never be ignored again and told him so.

Laughing, Lee ended their conversation on a playful note. "For that…I'll scrub your back as soon as I run this sim." Dropping a kiss on her forehead, he maneuvered her to the hatch and watched until she was past Baltar's lab.

Once she was clear, Lee spooled up the new program and ran a spot check on the sim finding it glitch free. He still had a list of stuff he was going to make Kat and Hot Dog work on before he let them completely off the hook. Only the two of them could mess up the entire program by running a new disc. Shutting everything down, he filed the new disc away for the next class and turned the lights off.

The spot check hadn't taken long and gauging the time, he figured he had a few minutes for a detour before heading to meet Kara. There were a few things he wanted to make clear to their esteemed Vice President. Now was as good a time as any.

Crossing the corridor, he entered the lab without preamble. Baltar sat at his table, head hanging in his hands. It looked almost as if he was trying to shut something out, but Lee had no intention of letting the man ignore him.

Not looking up, Baltar sighed deeply before saying, "Come to gloat, Major?" He lifted his head revealing a streak of red running along his hairline about an inch long.

Lee narrowed his eyes surprised the doctor had managed to scrape up an injury in the short amount of time he'd been in his lab.

Shrugging it off, he decided he didn't care. "About what, exactly?" Striding to stand in front of Gaius, the table was the only thing separating them.

Baltar tossed his head back, winced a little, then responded sardonically, "My utter and resounding defeat." He dropped his head again and it looked as if he braced himself for additional discomfort.

Lee wondered anew at Baltar's sanity. "There's nothing to gloat over. You never stood a chance with Kara." Crossing his arms in front of him, he waited for the reaction.

Gaius laughed without humor. "Then why are you here?" If the tables were turned, he'd be rubbing the major's face in victory.

Lee stared at the man sitting before him. His clothes were in disarray and he looked quite pathetic. It didn't stop Lee from wanting to smash his face into something hard…but it did make it easier for him to say what he came to say. "From this point on, Kara's off limits." He dropped his arms to his sides before continuing. "Don't even think about trying to interfere with our relationship again." Holding Baltar's eyes, he saw the flash of anger before the other man managed to quell it.

Baltar didn't like being dictated to and his pride already suffered a blow. He also didn't like to lose. He would decide if and when he gave up his pursuit of the lovely captain.

Lips twitching, he gave the major a considering look. "So…you're claiming the Captain as your personal property then?" It left a bitter taste in his mouth to say it. He wanted to be the one to make that claim.

Lee knew exactly what Gaius was thinking. He nodded his head, stringing him along a bit. "Oh she's mine all right." Taking a step back he added, "But nobody owns Kara, Doctor." He turned away from the table continuing to talk while his eyes traveled over the scientific paraphernalia on the counter. "She's her own woman…not a possession." That was something the idiot doctor seemed unable to understand.

Lee walked a few steps over to the counter before turning back to face Baltar. "No…Kara's mine because she chooses to be." Making his way back to the table, he stood in front of Gaius again. "I could no more hold onto her than the wind if that weren't the case." Leaning forward, he placed his hands on the table to look Baltar directly in the eye. "You'd do well to accept that fact…or accept the consequences if you don't." Lee's voice was lethally soft but Baltar's visible gulp told him he'd been heard.

Gaius nodded slowly and waved Lee toward the hatch. He was suddenly tired of crossing verbal swords in the verbal battle. His head was aching and frankly he had other 'things' to deal with, primarily the constant voice screaming in his head. The dull throb had him lowering his head to the cool surface of the table but it wasn't until he heard the clang of the hatch closing that he breathed a sigh of relief.

As much as it pained him to admit, his constant companion might be correct. Kara Thrace could be more trouble than it was worth. Once the pounding in his head abated, he'd consider his options. For now, he conceded the victory to outside sources. He'd leave the captain alone.

As Lee made his way back to quarters he thought of not telling Kara about his little discussion with Baltar. Then he decided against keeping her in the dark. Unless under orders, he was done with that. It never ended well.

She'd probably be pissed that he didn't just leave things alone, but she would have to get over it. His reasons for visiting Baltar had nothing to do with doubting her and everything to do with how much he loved her. Gaius had overstepped the boundaries of decency and Lee's first impulse was to pound him into the metal flooring. The fact that Baltar was still standing should be testament enough to his faith in her.

Letting himself into their quarters, he heard the shower running. He grinned in spite of the circumstances. Ellen's little attempt at seduction left him feeling like a shower may not be enough to wash away the slithering touch of her hands. It had taken Kara to wipe that bit of memory from his mind. The least he could do was return the favor. Starting with scrubbing her back.

Disrobing, he laid his clothes neatly by the door then entered the small bath. He was greeted with sight of Kara standing under the spray, water streaming over her body. She was faced away from him, so grabbing a soft cloth, he moved in behind her smiling when she jumped at the unexpected touch.

Holding the washcloth under the water, Lee's lips gently fastened on Kara's neck for some nibbling kisses. When the cloth was thoroughly soaked, he turned sideways and starting with her shoulder he massaged his way down to the flare of her hips. His other hand slid up her stomach to cup a breast drawing a gasp from her mouth.

Kara's lips sought Lee's. The soft cloth skimming over her back and the hand palming her breast had goose bumps prickling over her skin…but she was anything but cold. Not breaking the kiss, she turned in Lee's arms and with a gentle nudge sent him back against the wall. Her hand circled his cock and with a gentle tugging it wasn't long before she had Lee gasping against her lips.

The washcloth hit the floor as he hauled Kara close. It was her turn to be backed into the opposite wall. Lee's lips trailed from her temple to her shoulder while his hands slid down her back to curve around her behind. Kara's teeth nipped at his collarbone and he couldn't stifle a low growl. It always sent the blood coursing through him when she did that.

He lifted his head to find her grinning at him. She then turned, shutting the water off, before placing her hands against the wall. Bending at the waist, she leaned forward, which caused her ass to brush up against his groin. Biting back a groan, Lee grabbed her hips with one hand, sliding the other between her legs slipping two fingers gently inside her.

Kara's breath hissed out on a moan. Her hips dipped to meet the slow thrust of Lee's fingers and when he changed the angle, hitting a sweet spot she nearly bit the tip of her tongue off. She gasped his name, flinging her head back before turning her head to meet his eyes.

As good as he was making her feel, Kara wanted…had to have more. "I need you…" Her eyes slid shut when his fingers fluttered against her walls, "Gods…I need you now." Her fingers curled into her palms as she waited.

Her words sent a bolt of satisfaction through Lee as he withdrew his fingers, replacing them with his cock. He then proceeded to show Kara how much he needed her also. Using long, slow strokes he let the tension build between them. He worshipped her with his hands never letting them leave her skin. Leaning forward, his rough whisper against her ear told her how much she meant to him.

Trailing a hand down her back and around her hip, his fingers slid over her clit sending a shudder through her body. Drawing her upwards gave him access to her breasts, which he took turns kneading gently relishing the fullness in his hand. The friction and heat became almost unbearable and as his lips traveled along her throat they both became a little breathless.

When his teeth gently nipped at her ear, Kara shattered around him head tossed, back arching away from him, his hand the only thing holding her upright. She gasped his name then sagged against him as he came apart himself. Staggering backwards they slid to the floor in a comfortable heap as their breathing return to normal.

Satiated, Kara pressed feather kisses along Lee's jaw line before letting her head fall against his shoulder. She was supremely glad she'd pushed the issue getting back to normal earlier. Making up for a little lost time was good for the soul. And in this case, it eased the creepy feeling of Baltar's attempted seduction from her mind.

She expressed her gratitude. "Thank you. This helped." Knowing Lee knew exactly how she felt was another balm.

Lee flashed a quick smile then kissed her. "Glad it helped." She might not feel the same way once he told her about dropping in on Baltar.

Lacing his fingers with hers, he figured he'd spill everything now. "You might not feel the same way after I tell you what I did." He felt her tense…could imagine what she was thinking. "No. I didn't _do_ anything, Kara. I just had a friendly chat with our esteemed Vice President." She relaxed against him, which Lee took as a good sign.

Baltar may not have respect for his office, but Lee did. He wouldn't risk a court martial for going after an elected official physically, but he didn't blame Kara for thinking otherwise. And it wasn't as if Lee hadn't considered the thought, although briefly.

Kara gave Lee's fingers a squeeze. "And…" Putting herself in Lee's place, she'd have probably done the same. "What did this little chat accomplish?" Her curiosity was piqued, even if she wished he'd left things alone.

Lee shifted their positions, so he could face her when he spoke. "Maybe nothing. But the man holds an elected office and he needs to understand there will be consequences for his actions." Cupping her face, Lee held her gaze. "The man got aggressive with you and you handled it…I'm not trying to take anything away from that." A nasty thought hit Lee…what if Baltar shifted his attentions to someone less skilled than Kara now that she was out of the picture?

Pondering that, he continued. "Kara, you're a woman who can fight. A warrior. And I love you for it." Leaning forward he kissed her hard and fast. "I wouldn't have you any other way." He settled her back against him before filling her in on the rest of his conversation.

He explained that Gaius had compared her to a possession…something to be owned. Her derisive snort made him grin, but it also brought his earlier train of thought to the forefront. "Think about it, Kara. You've made it clear you're not interested. What if Baltar shifts his attentions elsewhere and picks someone who can't or won't fight…" He broke off for a minute…wondering if something along those lines hadn't already happened.

Kara hated where this was going, but couldn't deny the possibility. In her mind the man was delusional but handled. Might not be the case for a civilian out in the fleet. It seemed like things had the potential to unravel on a major scale if they didn't do something.

She stood and pulled Lee up with her. "So…yeah. Chatting with Baltar was a good thing. He needs to know there will be consequences if he tries to coerce people to do his bidding." She couldn't believe she just said that about a politician. But Gaius Baltar was fairly new to the political game.

Reaching out to turn the shower on again, she added. "Roslin's going to need to know about this isn't she?" A spray of cold hit her and she hissed in a breath.

Lee stepped between Kara and the cold water, wrapping his arms around her until the spray turned warm. He had arrived at the same conclusion and knew it bugged Kara that she'd have to share the circumstances with someone else. He'd have her back the whole way though.

Drawing her back into the rapidly warming water, he let the shower stream over them. "Yeah. Roslin's going to have to know about it." He'd contact her off log and only bring his father into if Kara gave the okay. It was a small thing, but it was something she could control.

Shutting off the water, Kara nodded. "Right. I figured." She took the towel Lee handed her and wrapped it around her body then finger combed her hair out of her face. "Can it wait until tomorrow? I'm wiped." It was getting late and she had the new class files to finish up…but they'd wait until morning.

Instead of answering right away, Lee slid the door open and tugged her toward the bed. "It's late. Tomorrow's good." He pulled the coverlet down then removed both their towels.

Crawling naked under the sheets, they wrapped themselves around each other. After a lingering kiss from Lee, Kara settled down, her head against his chest the soothing sound of his heartbeat in her ear. Her last thought before drifting to sleep was that something had to give…soon.

FIN


	21. Chapter 21

Originally written: March 26, 2007

PART 21

The next morning, Kara still had the nagging thought that something had to give rattling around in her head. She brought it up over a hastily eaten breakfast and wasn't sure if she should be happy or freaked that Lee was right there with her regarding the fleet approaching a breaking point. Normally she discounted her off the wall thoughts, but Lee's agreement added weight to her concern.

Something big was coming…the question was whether they'd be blindsided or head it off?

Feeling vaguely unsettled, Kara sat at the desk, staring at the class synopsis in front of her. When Lee reached across the edge to gather up some files for a morning briefing, she pulled him into a kiss. For reassurance, comfort, she didn't know exactly it was just something she needed. As intended, Lee dropped the folder in his hand to cup her face and she smiled against his mouth, deepening the kiss, adding a little heat. It did the trick and calm settled over her.

Lee pulled away gently, resting his forehead against hers. "I gotta go." Her lips parted and his mouth closed over hers again, tongue sliding inside stoking a fire he didn't have time to put out. Before things got out of hand, he eased away again. "Really." He nipped her upper lip. "Late." Snagged her lower lip this time. "Gotta go." Feeling like he was forgetting something, he was damned if he could remember what it was at the moment. Shaking his head to clear the lust from his mind, he turned toward the hatch. If he ran any later, his dad would send someone to hunt him down.

Kara blew out a breath in an effort to cool down a little. Spying Lee's file folder on the desk, she picked it up. "Uh, Major?" When he glanced over his shoulder, she tapped the file against her hand before waving it back and forth. "Think you might need this?" Her mouth quirked up on one side as he groaned and reached out for the folder.

Holding it just out of his reach, she shook her head back and forth. "Uh uh. You have to earn it back…considering I just saved your ass." They both knew it was a lie. Lee had everything in the file memorized…per usual.

And yeah…she felt a pang of guilt that he'd be late. But it was only a tiny twinge. Part of her still needed a distraction and the class synopsis wasn't going to cut it. Playing with Lee was much more fun.

The commander could rip him a new one, but Lee didn't particularly care. Getting into the game, he turned to face Kara, eyeing her up and down. "Saved my ass?" She grinned, nodding her head up and down playfully. "Is that right?" It was his turn to smirk.

Oh, she liked it when he got that gleam in his eye. Smiling again, she shrugged one shoulder while shoving the file behind her back. "Yeah, totally saved it." She hit the wall as she stepped back…Lee inches away from her now.

Raising an eyebrow, Lee pretended to ponder the veracity of her words. "Hmm…in that case…" Leaning forward, he breathed against her neck, his lips barely skimming the surface of her skin, 'in that case, Captain…" Pulling back his head, his hands skimmed her hips before smoothing up her sides, "I guess I outta thank you." His lips hit hers with a hot kiss designed to singe her brain so he could snag the file from her hands…which he did.

Grinning with victory, Lee whispered sexily in her ear, "So…um…thanks." Kissing her hard and fast, he tagged on, "Love you…" then raced out the hatch to catch hell for being late.

Leaning against the wall, lips still burning from the kiss, Kara muttered, "Frak me." Shaking herself out of her stupor she sat down to get to work…mind cleanly distracted from its earlier unease.

By the end of the day, a keyed up Kara was ready for another distraction.

Her paperwork completed, she went down to the hangar deck to check on the parts for the Viper. They were ready so she'd crawled under the plane and got down to business. Usually she ran her lectures through her head while she worked and she started out doing just that. But somewhere along the way snatches of conversation filtered their way through and she got an quite an education.

The fleet was twitchy…tired of jumping randomly with no clear goal in mind. _Um, hello? Earth, people._ But Earth was a long way away and nobody knew for certain it was even reachable. Seemed lots of the civilians were weary of it all. Tired of floating in space, of having too few options and even more limited chances for changing their lives.

Kara knew the Raptor pilots couldn't or wouldn't make up some of the stuff she was hearing. It was ugly out there. Fights were breaking out, escalating into violent altercations between the ships and the civilian populations on board. She and Lee had been on the money about something being up.

Not liking where her head was leading her, she paced around the confines of their quarters. If the civilian fleet turned on each other…hell…there wasn't enough military personnel to handle a crisis of that level. And who knew when the Cylons would pick up the chase again? Did the idiot civvies not get that?

Maybe her question wouldn't go unanswered, as Lee picked that moment to come home. _Good._ Now she had someone to sound off on about this mess.

Stopping in mid stride, Kara noted the tired lines around Lee's face. _Or maybe not_. "Hey." Crossing the floor she greeted him with a wry smile, she'd rather write after action reports for an entire squadron than sit through an all day meeting. "Finally over?" It sucked to be him right now.

Heaving a sigh, he glanced at Kara then back down at the agenda he'd brought in. Gods, he hated meetings…especially all day ones. "Yeah. Finally." His brain was still spinning with information. He was wound taut with tension and not even the sight of Kara worked to distract him at the moment.

Dropping a quick kiss on Kara's mouth, he moved to deposit the files he carried on the desk then walked toward the bedroom. Expelling another breath, he unbuttoned his uniform shirt stripping it off and tossing it in the laundry bin. All he wanted to do was get a clear picture of how to move forward but it eluded him. And made his head hurt in the process.

Unbuttoning his pants, mind still on the briefing, he missed Kara's narrowed eyes when she followed after him and only listened with half an ear, making what he thought were appropriate responses to her description of the conversations about the rumblings from the fleet. But nothing she said really made it through the aching fog to hit his brain.

Considering everything she told him was the very topic of the meeting, he should be paying attention. Instead he was distracted, trying to wrap his head around the scope of the situation. With little success.

He had known something was up from his earlier meeting with his father. He got the full rundown as soon as he walked into the conference room. Nobody even remarked on his lateness…they were already in heated debate.

Sitting with the assembled group, Roslin, Tigh, Gaeta, Baltar, and his dad, he could feel unease wrap tightly around his spine and settle across his shoulders. Not only because there were more people than he expected but also because the conversation was grim.

Things were bad. Beyond bad.

Laura gave an account from the latest Quorum meeting where they reported an unusually high volume of violent altercations. Tensions were running high, with the civilian population weary of running, tired of being hunted by the Cylons. A new movement was underway calling for settlement or surrender and it was gaining momentum, making lots of noise.

With the help of Tom Zarek, Roslin had intel describing the main players and where their base of operations was located. A small cargo ship on the fringes of the fleet had lots of increased shuttle traffic for no apparent reason. The only thing the ship provided was additional storage when necessary. And right now that didn't account for their sudden influx of visitors.

At the mention of Zarek, Lee jumped into the conversation. "Are we sure he's not behind this?" Zarek was shifty at best. At worst he could incite the remaining population to the brink of civil war. People listened when he spoke and Tom wasn't afraid to use that to his own advantage.

Laura shook her head and answered honestly. "No." She stood, pacing back and forth while speaking. "However, he has much to lose by playing both sides of the fence with this." Stopping, she slid her glasses off and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I'm not adverse to keeping him on a short leash though, Major." Glancing pointedly at Lee, her message loud and clear. Keep Zarek in the loop but under a watchful eye.

The rest of the discussion evolved into how to defuse the ticking time bomb of a fleet reaching its breaking point. There were more than a few moments it got heated between Tigh and Baltar making Lee wonder if maybe the colonel knew about his wife's extra curricular activities with the Vice President. It also wasn't lost on Lee that Baltar had yet to say anything directly to him. Every bit of Baltar's dialog was directed toward everyone else.

_Good. _Just made what he had to tell the president and commander that much easier. And they both needed to know. Baltar's baiting comments to Tigh and his unwillingness to even be civil to Lee made it necessary to brief his father also. Kara would either understand or not…but the commander needed to know…now.

Zarek might need to be kept under tight rein…but Baltar? The guy was vice president, for frak's sake. That made him dangerous on a whole different level. The smarmy man sitting across the table, unable to make eye contact with him, posed a threat. Lee could feel it in his bones.

With a solid list of strategies to present to the Quorum, President Roslin adjourned the gathering. Everyone filed out with the exception of Lee who remained behind indicating to the leaders he needed a moment from them.

He filled them in on the incident with Kara then suggested that short of sending Baltar out an airlock it might be a good idea to keep a closer eye on the weasely man. After inquiring that Kara was unscathed, Roslin readily agreed. The Commander shot him a look that told him they'd be discussing it later in greater detail. Lee decided to let Kara do the talking when the time came. He'd already spilled it without telling her.

And he had enough to deal with trying to get his head around the potential powder keg waiting to explode in the fleet, without having Kara erupt over the Baltar incident. He had to give her a head's up in case his dad decided to broach the topic. Tuning in to the sound of her voice, he waited for a break in the conversation but still only listened with half an ear, nodding his head occasionally.

Kara got that Lee was distracted…the all day meeting had him off kilter. Still…it pissed her off he couldn't spare five minutes to actually listen to what she was saying. The talking thing…not something she did often. And the one time she wants engage in serious conversation, to tell him they'd been dead on…that the fleet was headed for some kind of breaking point? He was a million light years away.

She'd had about enough. Time for new tactics. "Right…so after that, Helo suggested all three of us hook up for some hot sex." _Ha!_ No way he'd ignore that one.

Lee nodded again, saying, "Yeah." Then her words hit him. 'Wait…what?" Did she just say Helo wanted to hook up for a threesome? He shot a quick glance in her direction, noting the disgusted look on her face.

Ah…he had some making up to do. "First. I wasn't listening and I'm sorry." Grinning sheepishly, he added in explanation. "Long day."

Slightly mollified, Kara shrugged. "Yeah, well. Thought that would snap you out of it" She grabbed a sweatshirt out of Lee's locker and tossed it at him. "Second?" Digging through his drawer she pulled out a pair of socks and headed his way.

Lee wondered if Kara realized how domestic she was being. He also knew it was time for him to focus on them. They couldn't solve all the fleet's issues overnight if they tried. And they weren't going to try. He had something else in mind.

Looking contrite, Lee sat the sweatshirt aside. "Second. I'm game if you are." He watched her confused look dissolve into raucous laughter as comprehension dawned.

Reaching out, he tugged her between his legs. "Seriously. For you…I'd try just about anything." His fingers slipped under her shirt to play along the waistband of her pants.

With a playful shove, Kara pushed Lee back and climbed on top of him. "Is that right?" Shrugging her shirt off, she leaned forward, mouth inches from his. "And what if I don't wanna share?" Her lips dipped to his in a teasing kiss before she scooted backwards, hands grabbing his already unbuttoned pants to drag them off his legs.

Watching Kara shed the rest of her clothes had Lee's head completely back in the game. "Mmm…" Their play on words turned him on almost as much her lips now trailing along his torso did.

Lee continued the verbal exchange. "What's the matter?" Gods, it killed him when she scraped her teeth over his skin sending shivers of heat along his spine. "Can't play well with others?" His breath hissed out and his fingers tangled in her hair as she licked a path from his navel to his sternum.

Laughing low in her throat, Kara flicked her tongue over his nipple before replying. "Not in this case…" Moving up to straddle his torso she gazed down at him before finishing her answer. "I kinda like having you all to myself." She loved the way his eyes went dark before his hands came up, drawing her face to his.

Teasing or not, the way she said it made him wild for her. Tongue sliding between her lips, he kissed her fiercely before saying against her mouth, "Feeling's very mutual." Catching her lips again, he twisted around shifting their positions so he was on top.

Caught by surprise, heat flared in her widened eyes, especially when Lee's lips found the pulse point of her throat. Latching on, he sucked on the skin, making her arch in response. He knew it was a sensitive spot. He also knew what it did to her when he focused his attention there.

Their fun little verbal set-up just kicked up a notch. It was now a game of one-ups-manship. And the best part? No one would lose.

Lee's mouth sent hot fissures of desire curling through her. She knew without having to look he'd leave a mark and she'd have to wear a collared shirt or put up with massive ribbing…primarily from Helo. And she also knew Lee would sport a matching mark before they were through.

Smiling in anticipation, Kara hooked her leg around his and twisted out from under him. Lee didn't protest with more than a cursory grunt when suddenly he was on his side and the playing field level. Instead he drew her face to his, placing kisses everywhere but her mouth. Laughed when Kara grabbed his head to slant her mouth over his because she wasn't in the mood to wait.

Tongue scraped against tongue as they dueled for control, limbs tangling as they rolled sensuously together. Teeth nipped at exposed flesh, lips soothed the sting. Hand and fingers slid over heated skin sending pulse rates into overdrive.

The crappy day, problems in the fleet, rumors of trouble all fell away as their focus centered on feeling the powerful pull between them. Over and over they went, trading positions, smoothly moving together, skin against skin. A touch, a caress, fingers gliding, legs entwined, then free to move again.

Kara twisted around, her back against Lee's chest, arcing against him. His hand cupped her breast, fingers brushing over the tip before gently rolling the nipple between them. Gasping, heat flaring, Kara pitched her hips low pushing her butt against his erection. The hardened shaft responded, pulling a groan from Lee. Moving forward far enough gave his cock enough room to move, seemingly of its own accord, to seek entrance. Lifting her leg, Kara threw it over Lee's hip just as he thrust inside.

Fingers entwined, hips rocking together they let the pleasure build slowly, drawing it out until neither could hold on much longer. Edging closer to the pinnacle, fingers still entwined, Lee moved their joined hands to hover above her clit. Using a gentle sweeping motion, Lee guided both of their fingers over the bundle of nerves, making Kara's breath rasp out in short, little bursts.

Sliding his lips over her shoulder and along her throat, he whispered hoarsely in her ear. "Let go, Kara." Nipping gently at her ear, he soothed the sting with his tongue. "Come for me." Kara's held fell back against his shoulder and he felt her fingers move faster over her nub until her hips dipped and stopped moving. It pushed him right to the edge. "Now, Kara…gods, now." Kara clenched around him, her breath hissing out and she came shuddering against him, moaning his name.

Splintering apart, Kara felt Lee's hand go to her hip, gripping it hard as his thrust upwards. "Gods, Lee." Her own hand grabbed his thigh, still wet fingers digging into the flesh. "Yes. That's it." She felt him swell, surging inside her and she pushed back, tightening herself around him, knowing he was close.

And then he was there, emptying himself, his harsh breath fanning against Kara's ear. His hand slid to her belly, fingers splayed over the flat surface, holding them together, while his lips pressed kisses along her neck. "I love you." Cheek resting against hers, he felt the grin before he heard her satisfied sigh.

Spent, Kara turned inward to lie on her back, Lee's hand still on her tummy. Gazing up at him, she whispered hoarsely, "Back at ya." Then drew his head to hers for a gentle kiss before reaching around to pull the coverlet over them.

Settling down, with Lee spooned against her side she gazed at him, his eyes closed, as he drifted toward sleep. If nothing else, the lines of tension no longer creased his forehead or around his mouth. The fleet's unrest momentarily forgotten. Smoothing a finger over his brow, she thought at least they could box it away for moments like this.

And her gut told her that wouldn't always be the case, so she appreciated have some room to breathe right now. Her eyes got heavy and she blinked a couple of times, wanting to watch Lee while he slept. She knew it wouldn't be long before he'd be strung tighter than a bow, unable to relax.

Smothering a yawn, her eyes drifted shut and sleep claimed her. But not before she laced her fingers with his to draw his hand up over her heart.

FIN


	22. Chapter 22

Title: Close Quarters 22/?

Author: Monti

Date: April 13, 2007

Rating: M

Word Count: 5726

Category: L/K AU

Warnings: None

Spoilers: None

Disclaimers: Don't own these people. Just borrowing them for a little while. I promise to put them back when I'm finished.

Author's note: As always…a huge shout out to my beta chicks: ezaspi and Pandora576…I'd be lost without them.

Summary: A continuation from the events occurring in Follow Me. Kara and Lee have settled into their new quarters and face the challenge of living with someone on a day-to-day basis in close quarters. The shiny newness of being an actual couple gives way to the fact that two very different people are trying to share a space, build a life, and not make each other insane in the process. Our saga continues…

PART 22

Lee slept like the dead when he got a rare chance to do so. But if the pounding on the hatch to quarters was an indicator, this wasn't one of those times.

Shifting his position, he reached across Kara, grabbing the clock. 3 AM. _Frak._ Dropping it back on the shelf, Lee scrubbed a hand over his face. The claxons weren't sounding and no alert had gone up so who the hell needed something at this frakking hour?

He was tempted to ignore the incessant knocking and bury his head under a pillow to drown out the noise but Kara was already awake and scrambling for some clothes.

Propping himself up on his elbows, he grumbled. "Don't answer it, Kara." He shut his eyes against the bright light when she flipped the switch to find her bra. "Come back to bed…they'll go away eventually."

Kara shoved her head through the bra, following with her arms. "Does it sound like they're gonna go away?" Her voice was growly from just waking up and her hair was sleep tousled. And the knocking was giving her a headache.

Sighing, Lee sat up all the way and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "No…but that doesn't mean we have to accommodate whoever's pounding on the hatch." Stifling a yawn, he shook his head to clear his sleepy brain.

Kara snorted. Accommodation was the name of the game for them, lately. She couldn't hear anyone calling out or asking if they were there…just a constant rapping on the hatch. Whoever it was better have a damn good reason for waking them up. She wouldn't be held accountable if they didn't.

Tossing Lee his pants, she said over her shoulder, "Get up, Major…I may need some back-up." She made her way out of the sleeping area. "Cause if this isn't something catastrophic, I'm gonna need you to swear it's justifiable homicide."

Lee groaned but stood up, calling out, "Give me five minutes before you shoot anyone." Shoving his feet in his pants, he pulled them up on the way to the head. Some cold water on his face should wake him the hell up.

Kara could hear someone speaking quietly through the heavy metal, as she got closer to the hatch. "You gotta help me…" More rapid knocking, followed by, "Please, let me in…"

She swung open the hatch to find Hot Dog was standing there, looking back over his shoulder. He appeared hale and hearty to her…so much for catastrophic.

Clearing her throat to gain his attention, she snapped, "What?" Brendan faced forward and tried to make his way inside, but Kara blocked his entry. "Uh uh, Hot Dog. You're not bleeding or on the verge of dying…so, no…you're not coming in." She had no idea what frakked up thing he'd done now, but he was on his own for whatever it was.

Brendan glanced back at his quarters again. "Look, I could be one or both of those if you don't help me." Shoving his hands in his pockets, he hunched his shoulders forward when a group of pilots walked past him on their way for a shift change.

Clearly…he didn't want to be seen by anyone.

She knew she'd regret it but Kara stepped aside. "Fine." She closed the hatch and counted to ten for patience before turning to find Costanza sitting on the couch, head lightly thumping against the wall over and over. "What going on with you and Kat?"

Hot Dog stopped hitting the wall and his head snapped up. "Who says anything's going on?" The flush creeping up his neck pretty much confirmed there was something.

Rolling her eyes, Kara moved to stand in front of him. "No one has to, Hot Dog…looking over your shoulder pretty much gives it away. And besides…the only person who could do more damage to you than me…is Kat." Taking a step forward, she used her most intimidating expression. "So let's have it, Costanza." Hands on her hips, she stared him down…waiting for an answer.

Sitting up straighter, Brendan lowered his head. "I don't want to talk about it." The words were mumbled and he wouldn't look at Kara.

Lee entered as Hot Dog finished speaking, but Kara didn't let it distract her. "I'm sorry? You wake us up at 3 AM…" She glanced at Lee before continuing, "…beg for help…and then you don't want to frakking talk about it?" Shaking her head, she crossed to the hatch and opened it again. "Get. Out." Hot Dog's stunned face didn't keep her from adding a rather nasty, "Now!" to emphasize her impatience.

Lee looked from Kara to Hot Dog and decided he'd better step in. "Come on, Costanza…you really don't want to mess with Kara right now." Raking a hand through damp hair, he stifled another yawn. "Or me, for that matter." Deciding there was nothing else but to get to the bottom of it, Lee asked. "What the hell is going on?" Pulling a chair away from the table, he straddled it, arms propped on the backrest in front of him.

Hot Dog continued to sit silently, not answering. He'd found a safe haven and didn't plan to put that in jeopardy just yet. Not until he could think of a way out of his frakked up situation.

Kara started pacing the floor, eager to get rid of Brendan…not that she'd get any more sleep. "Okay…we know this is about Kat." She stopped for a minute. "Did you short sheet the bed?" Tossing out something ridiculous might get him talking. "No? You put something in her food?" Costanza shook his head back and forth. "Wait! You used up all the hot water?" Kara gave him a considering look. "You do know there's a way to make sure you both get enough hot water, right? I don't need to draw you a diagram or anything, do I?" If the ridiculous didn't work maybe insults would.

Hot Dog blurted out. "No. No…it's nothing like that." His voice went quiet when he added. "It's frakked up." The look on his face said it went a step further than that.

Snorting again, Kara feigned shock. "No. Really?" She grabbed another chair from the table and sat the way Lee did…facing the back. "I think we've figured that much out, Costanza. Why don't you get to the part where you actually fill us in?" She rested her head on her hands and waited.

As much as Lee loved Kara, she wasn't helping. "Look, we can't help you with anything until we know what happened. You came to see us, which was smart…" Even if the timing sucked, Lee wanted to add. "Letting it fester and build up rarely helps…in fact it's usually worse." Shooting a glance at Kara he realized he still had to tell her about his meeting with Adama and Roslin. That was something he didn't want to put off so it could morph into a huge issue.

Shaking his head, he focused back on Hot Dog. "Besides…it's never as bad as you think it is." In Costanza's case it was usually worse, but Lee didn't mention that small fact.

Hot Dog looked so miserable it was easy to figure things were frakked up on a grand scale.

After sharing a knowing glance with Lee, Kara leaned forward. "Just spill it Hot Dog." Her curiosity warred with impatience. If he didn't tell them what was going on in the next five minutes she was heading out to find Kat.

Trying to move the conversation forward, Lee stated. "Bottom line it for us, Hot Dog. We'll do what we can." He ignored the snort from Kara and continued. "If it will help…consider your rank checked at the door and just speak freely." For Costanza's sake, he hoped the young man would open up…they were both losing patience.

Brendan looked down at his hands again and heaved a sigh. "Kat and I are through. She kicked me out." He finally raised his eyes to meet theirs. "This is so frakked up."

There had to be more to the story. No way was that the end of it…not when Hot Dog woke them up at three in the morning looking part scared kid, part miserable man.

Lee shot a glance at Kara who nodded in agreement. "Spill the rest, Hot Dog."

Blowing out a deep breath, Brendan began his tale of woe. "Okay…it all started with _Beehive_…"

An hour and a half later found Lee heading back to quarters with Kat in tow. Tracking her down was a challenge since she decided to crash in the ready room because she couldn't stand being in the quarters she'd shared with Costanza. With the turmoil that was brewing out in the fleet, Lee wondered how he and Kara ended up playing referee to the younger couple.

It was beyond him why Hot Dog thought he and Kara would be able to help settle things. Hell, if Kat's attitude were anything to go by, Hot Dog would be better off letting her go. He'd had to threaten brig time to get Katraine to come along after she found out it was about Costanza. Sometimes pulling rank was the only way to go.

Not that Lee blamed his female pilot. Brendan wasn't kidding…the situation was messed up. Big time. His rivalry with Lt. Randy Beechman, better known as Beehive, crossed from professional into personal when Hot Dog thought he spied Kat and the other pilot in what he assumed was an intimate moment.

Did Brendan bother to ask Kat about it? Oh no. That would have been too easy. Instead of confronting them, Costanza's animosity toward Beehive sent reason right out the airlock and he'd retaliated with a knee-jerk reaction. Lee wondered how a good stick like Hot Dog…someone who flew smart could so completely lack common sense when not in the air.

Taking advantage of a casual flirtation that existed prior to his hooking up with Kat, Hot Dog had pulled Diana Seelix into a hot-lipped clinch. He swore his only intention was to make Kat jealous, like he thought she'd done to him. It was a stupid move on his part and it had gone so very wrong.

Brendan's ill thought out plan backfired when Seelix responded aggressively and before he knew what was happening, she had his flight suit undone and her hands up his shirt. According to Costanza, he had no clue Seelix was hot for him. And Kat was NOT supposed to see them backed up against the bulkhead with Diana's tongue down his throat.

But she did.

And the fur went flying. Right there on the hangar deck. Tyrol stopped it before it got out of hand and held Kat back while Hot Dog tried to explain about seeing her with Beehive and that things shouldn't have gone as far as they did. Kat's response was to jerk herself loose from the Chief, slap Brendan and storm off to quarters.

From what Hot Dog related in the retelling…she'd packed up his gear, met him at the door and told him to go frak himself…or better yet…Seelix…cause she was finished with him. After letting him know very clearly to keep his distance or it would get ugly, she pushed him back and slammed the hatch in his face. Brendan took her at her word, which is why he ended up at their quarters at 3 AM. He had no idea where Kat was and didn't want to chance running into her.

Well, too damn bad. The rivalry and animosity between the two men had now gone beyond just the two of them, drawing in Kat, Seelix…hell the whole deck crew. Lee knew they were going to have to figure out a workable solution to resolve the issues between the male pilots…but at the moment dealing with Hot Dog's less than brilliant answer to Kat's supposed transgression was on the table. And if Lee's guess were right…Kat would rather be flying back-to-back patrols than heading to quarters with him.

Dragging her feet across the hangar deck, her pace getting slower, Kat tried to put off the confrontation. "I don't understand why we have to do this." She stopped completely, clenching and releasing her hands into fists. "I really, truly don't want to see Brendan right now." Her jaw clamped shut as if saying his name was more than she could stand.

Gods, he felt like the ringmaster in a Caprican Circus only with trained pilots jumping through hoops instead of animals. "Look, Kat. I get it. I really do. But I can't have you two at each other's throats and playing the avoidance game. We don't have the luxury of time for you guys to work this out." He couldn't tell her about the brewing trouble…not yet, but Kat didn't question him. Most of the pilots had a clue something was up anyway.

Undogging the hatch, he tried for a little levity. "Besides…Brendan's been in quarters with Kara for over an hour…I can't guarantee he's even still breathing." Lee hid his grin when Kat couldn't quite keep the concern off her face. There might just be hope for the two pilots yet.

Entering quarters Lee found Kara sitting on the edge of the desk facing toward Hot Dog who looked like he wanted to bolt, but decided he liked life better. He smiled inwardly. If he was ringmaster, Kara was definitely the warden.

When Kat followed him in, she barely glanced at Kara. Oh no. Her attention was focused on Brendan. Gone was the concern from a moment ago as the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees. Louanne's impassive face and hard glare left Lee with no doubt she'd like to rip into Hot Dog now that she was face to face with him again.

Kara had the same feeling and acknowledged the female pilot with a nod of her head. "You two have certainly livened things up this morning." She stood up from her perch on the desk. "You couldn't pick a normal time of day to toss his ass out?"

Kat's reply was cut off when Lee noticed the time. "Frak, I'm on duty in half an hour." The look on Kara's face threatened murder if he even tried to leave her with the pilots. "I'll see if I can get Helo to cover my shift in CIC." He crossed through to make the call from the sleeping area so the others could continue speaking.

Damn right he'd better get someone to take his shift. Kara would rather be doing weeklong donut runs than dealing these two. Maybe they could lock the younger couple in a supply closet somewhere and just let them duke it out and be done with it. From the looks of it…they weren't going to communicate without a little shove in the right direction.

Sighing, she prodded Kat along. "You were saying?" Lords save her if these two didn't even make an attempt at speaking.

Kat didn't feel like getting into this, but a pointed look from Kara had her saying through clenched teeth. "I said I didn't pick the time of day." She shifted her weight back and forth between alternating feet. "That's all on Mr. Wonderful over there." Her head turned away as if she couldn't stand looking at Hot Dog.

Costanza sat up straighter. "I didn't know they'd go get you. All I was looking for is a place to stay until things calmed down." He gave Kara a beseeching look as if she'd understand.

Shaking her head back and forth, Kara told him. "Don't even." As if her shared quarters with Lee were a stop off for wayward pilots. "Hot Dog…you get caught macking on another woman and now you're pissy about us bringing the two of you together to deal?" Shrugging, she answered her own question. "Just another notch of stupid if you ask me. What did you think we were going to do? Let you move in and crash on the couch?" She knew the minute he realized how insanely stupid he was being because he groaned and sank back down into the cushions again.

_Gods, he was such an idiot_. "Frak." He sat forward again, resting his elbows on his knees. "I swear to the gods, that isn't what I planned on." When Kara's response was a loud snort, he looked at Louanne. "Seriously? You know what you're like when you go off half-cocked. I figured you only needed to cool down…then I'd come back home."

Kat made a strangling sound in the back of her throat, looking like she might just pounce on Hot Dog to inflict bodily injury. Or walk out with nothing resolved. After waking up three hours earlier than necessary, Kara wasn't letting either of them leave.

Kara pointed toward the couch. "Have a seat, Katraine." She figured sitting them beside each other was a step in the right direction so they could work things out…cause they sure as hell weren't getting past her.

Sitting on the edge of the desk again, Kara folded her arms and waited. After five minutes passed and neither pilot would look at or speak to each other, she sighed heavily. So much for getting for that little plan…she'd have to push…again.

Taking a deep breath, she ripped the bandage off the wound. "Look Kat, Hot Dog's stupidity aside…from what he says, Seelix's hands were on him not the other way around…I'm sure—"

Kat made another harsh grating sound before almost screeching. "Oh, her hands were on him all right? I take it he didn't tell you where his were?" When Kara tentatively shook her head back and forth, Kat filler her in. "Try on her ass." She paused for a beat. "Both of them."

_Well, frak. _Kara shot Hot Dog a scathing look that promised him maintenance shifts for a very long time. He'd left out that little detail in his accounting of the story.

Trying to defend himself…Hot Dog blurted. "It was reflex. I swear." When neither woman looked overly impressed, he faced Kat and said in a low voice. "You know it's the first thing I go for." Which only made Kat look ready to kill him again.

That was way more information than Kara _ever_ wanted to know about Costanza. "Gods, Hot Dog. Stop talking. I don't wanna be sick this early in the morning." Her brain didn't need the visual it had right now.

Brendan gladly clammed up, saying nothing else. Problem was…so did Louanne. The only sound coming from the couch was that of teeth gnashing together and fingers drumming on the cushion. Well…at least they were both frustrated. Sooner or later one of them would have to break the silence.

Or so she thought.

After several more attempts at getting one or both of them riled up enough to speak, Kara gave it up. She was done trying to shove them back together. Who had the patience to deal with this crap?

Kat must have sensed this because she finally broke the silence. "Are we done here?" She stood up to leave, but stopped when Kara reached behind herself and brought her sidearm forward. The pilot sat back down.

Kara casually rested the gun on her thigh but didn't say anything. Brendan's mouth was hanging open but quickly snapped shut when Kara raised an eyebrow in question. He frowned but didn't speak…only fixed a sullen expression on his face that rivaled Kat's.

As far as Kara was concerned, neither pilot was leaving until they tried to move past the whole ass-groping thing or Lee came back out. She didn't know what was taking him so long, but she'd gladly turn this deal over to him. Knowing him, he'd resolve everything within five minutes of returning, which would truly piss her off.

And it was exactly what Lee came damn close to doing when he returned.

Taking in the scene, Lee glanced at the silent, angry couple then over to Kara. _This was going well._ All three looked tense and cranky leaving it to him to diffuse the situation. And he needed to do it quickly since Helo could only cover half his shift.

Crossing the room, he planted himself beside Kara on the desk. "You know you can't really hold them at gunpoint, right?" He grinned and waited for her comeback.

Rolling her eyes, Kara smirked before replying. "Do you see me aiming at either of them?" She lifted the weapon and pulled the chamber back to show it wasn't loaded before placing it back on the desk.

Leave it to Kara to find an effective means of keeping the couple in place. Biting back another grin, he looked at her. "Sit rep?" He'd heard the raised voices but not the problem.

Kara snorted. "Hot Dog here left out some interesting information." She threw another disgusted look at Brendan. "Apparently Seelix wasn't the only one copping a feel." When Lee raised an eyebrow in question, she threw fuel on the fire. "Costanza has a 'thing' for grabbing ass. You ask me…Kat should've booted him a long time ago." She gave Brendan a pointed look as she said the words.

Costanza finally opened his mouth in his defense. "Hey…it looked like Louanne was making out with Beehive!" The name was all but spat out of his mouth. "You didn't see how close they were." For good measure he added on, "And she was laughing like she enjoyed it." Kat responded by sneering at him, not bothering to correct his assumption. Hot Dog already knew he'd been mistaken.

Right...this was getting them nowhere. Lee pondered the couple, taking in the bristled anger emanating from Kat and the disillusioned acceptance coming from Hot Dog.

When Kara felt his glance on her, she shrugged and shook her head. "Do you see why I brought out the firearms?" She leaned closer to Lee. "Your timing couldn't be better. I was getting ready to grab the ammo."

In a voice meant only for Kara, Lee stated. "So…Nothing truly accomplished."

Kara let her breath out with a huff. "The only thing they accomplished was pissing me off." She threw another look at the couple who stared at opposite points on the wall. "Seriously Lee? I'm ready to smack them both and throw them in a closet until they make-up or kill each other." Her patience at an end she snarked. "Doesn't matter to me which." At this point, Kara just wanted them out of her sight.

Lee nodded in commiseration. "I don't think it'll come to that." He had the beginnings of a resolution running through his mind as he watched both pilots for a few minutes.

What were the options when neither party was willing to budge from their entrenched position? The best one was to turn the tables by using their own stubbornness against them. Good thing strategy was one of his strong suits…and Kara was gonna be even more pissed that she didn't think of it first.

He stood up and got right to the crux by grabbing up a pad of paper and pen then put his plan into motion. "Okay…since you two obviously don't want to work this out, I'll start the paperwork for changing your living status." When Kara gave him a quizzical look, he indicated silently she should follow his lead.

Picking up where she thought Lee was going, Kara nodded. "Yeah…just think…you two will be the first in what'll probably be a long line for change of station requests." A quick flash of a grin from Lee was all she needed to know she'd hit it right. And dammit, if he didn't rule at logic games. She should have thought it this.

Hot Dog sat stunned. "Uh…what?" He looked over at Kat then back to his superior officers. "Who said anything about changing living arrangements?"

Kat responded exactly the way Kara anticipated she would. "Wait. Just wait a minute." Kat like to be first when it was a positive thing. Being the first for a change of status wouldn't be something she'd want the dubious honor of being known for.

Lee raised an eyebrow. "Sorry? That not going to work out for you?" When both pilots shook their heads back and forth, he rested his hip on the edge of the desk, notepad resting lightly on his thigh. "I mean you two don't want to decide who gets to keep the current quarters with either Seelix or Beehive and who has to apply for one of the new units?" He paused to give them a chance to respond.

Hot Dog jumped up. "For the last time…I don't want Seelix. I was stupid and frakked things up…but I don't want to live with anyone else but Kat." He glanced at her before continuing somewhat sheepishly, "I just can't stand her being anywhere near Beechman. The guy practically drools when she's around…and it's not the first time he's been just a little too close for comfort." His stopped talking for a minute, then added testily. "Any closer this time and he wouldn't have been sucking on her neck."

Kat broke in with her explanation. "Brendan, you ass." She hopped up off the couch before turning to face Hot Dog so she could speak quietly, her voice packed with meaningful tones. "Beehive was telling me which slots he wanted on _the pool_." Using her eyes, she darted a quick glance behind her so Hot Dog would get the picture…they'd been as close as they were because neither knew where Lee or Kara had been at the time. And the pool was all about them. The lightbulb went off and Hot Dog all but groaned when he realized what had been going on.

Kara's eyes narrowed. New pool? Why didn't she know about it? " Whatcha got going on now, Kat?" She might want to get in on whatever Kat had lined up. It had been a long time since she'd won everyone's money.

Kat cringed a little. "You wouldn't be interested in this one, Captain. Trust me on that." She stepped closer to Costanza as if she needed the moral support.

Kara didn't miss the shared look between the couple. Oh…she was gonna get to the bottom of this…sooner or later. Preferably later when she could catch one of them off guard. Right now, she'd settle on getting them out of her quarters so she could get back to normal.

Lee was feeling fairly confident his pilots would be working things out but he decided to be certain. "So…new pool aside, do I need to start paperwork or can Costanza here move back in?" He nodded in the direction of Brendan's rucksack sitting by the couch.

Wanting to make a quick exit before Starbuck started asking questions she wasn't prepared to answer, Kat answered with haste. "He's coming home." She grabbed Hot Dog by the arm and started tugging him toward the hatch barely giving him time to grab his gear.

Brendan turned while she undid the release. "Um…thanks." And since that seemed woefully inadequate, he tacked on an apology. "I'm really sorry I dragged you guys into my mess."

Kara opened her mouth to deliver a snide remark but thought better of it when she felt Lee's arms go around her from behind. Instead she just shook her head and decided to let it and them go.

Lee smiled at the younger pilot. "It's fixed for now, Hot Dog. I'd suggest you keep your hands to yourself next time." He watched Brendan's face turn red but the young man shook his head in agreement. "I had to threaten brig time to get her to agree to see you. You might want to remember that." He still needed to sit Costanza down with Beechman and hash out a way for them to get along…or at least tolerate each other.

Turning in Lee's arms, she studied him for a minute then backed away so she could close the open hatch. "How the hell do you do that?" She crossed back and nudged Lee toward the couch until his legs bumped the edge. "I was ready to shoot both for their sheer idiocy alone?" Draping her arms over his shoulders, she decided Lee won hands down when it came to using patience to his advantage.

Shooting her an innocent look, he sat and pulled her onto his lap before whispering blandly in her ear. "I have no idea where my patience comes from." Grinning, he leaned back. Far be it from him to point out that living with her had taught him a thing or two.

Kara snorted and snarked back. "Right, like I haven't given you loads of practice in that department." She dipped her head to catch his lips in a quick kiss. "But you love me for it."

Lee caught her face between his hands. "Damn straight, I do." This time his lips caught hers and he kissed her thoroughly, showing her just how much he loved her, before he let her go. He wanted to scoop her up and carry her back to bed, but he eased back instead. It was gonna be her turn to be patient now. He needed to tell her that the president and his father knew about Baltar.

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, he started out casually. "Do you remember how distracted I was yesterday?" It was all he could do not to let the same thing happen when she grinned wickedly at him before nipping at his lips again.

Kara knew Lee had something he wanted to say, but she couldn't resist teasing him a little. The early morning wake up drama and Lee's stroke of genius solution had her buzzing. If she couldn't sleep in when she had the chance, she at least wanted to enjoy being awake before she had to be.

Tugging herself closer, she settled her hips firmly against Lee's groin, wriggling against him a little for good measure. Between playful kisses she told him. "Mm…yes. I do remember that." Her lips met his in a longer kiss before she finished. "Something about a threesome snapped you out of it." Sliding her tongue inside his mouth she let it explore at leisure before letting him answer.

_Frak me_. "Uh, right." Lee returned the favor, his own tongue thrusting against hers while his hands worked up under her shirt. "That um…did get my attention." What was he supposed to be telling her again?

Scooting off Lee's lap, Kara worked his pants down over his hips and smiled when his cock sprang up almost as if greeting her. She slipped off his shoes then slid the bunched up fabric out of her way. Moving between his legs, Kara ran her hands gently up and down his calves before leaning over to place soft, feathery kisses along his thigh. Working her way up to his hipbone, she nipped gently with her teeth and smiled when the breath hissed out between Lee's lips. Settling back, she wrapped her fingers around Lee's cock, stimulating it even more.

Her eyes met his, a saucy smile on her lips when she asked. "Kind of like this is getting your attention right now?" Bringing the tip to her mouth she sucked just the end of it between her lips and was rewarded when he swelled even harder in her hand.

_Um…yeah._ Lee tried to form a coherent thought…not easy when Kara was using her tongue to moisten his shaft. All his brain wanted to focus on was what would happen next…Kara's mouth closing over him and…frak!

Lee's mind snapped back to reality. "Kara. Wait." Sitting up a little, he put a halt to what she was doing. He needed to get this out before she completely made his brain mush. "About yesterday. I stayed behind…after everyone else left…" Okay…how to tell her this… "Mainly because it was related to the topic and partially because we were all more or less there and…" All with the exception of her…the one Baltar targeted.

Kara sighed and sat back. "And you told the old man and Roslin about the Baltar crap?" She rolled her eyes like it was old news then shrugged. "So what, Lee?" But she got it…it was her story to tell and he'd told it. At the moment though…she'd rather be taking advantage of the window of opportunity that had landed in their laps.

Lee stared down her knowing he shouldn't be surprised that she just knew…but he was anyway. "So…you're not mad?" He had to admit, he kinda liked the surprise of living with her even when she confounded the hell out of him sometimes.

His face must have shown his confusion because Kara laughed lightly. "Look Lee, I can't promise I won't react badly to stuff…" Her hands slid smoothly down his thighs while she spoke. "Or that I won't get massively pissed off when I think you're keeping me in the dark about something." Catching one of his hands in hers, she continued. "But this is important and if you had the opening you needed to take it. I get that. Okay?" She smiled, hoping that would be the end of this little interruption.

Lee grinned back. "Yeah, okay." Settling back against the cushions again, he tacked on. "I just don't want you to think I was trying run interference. Cause I wasn't." And since that went much better than he'd hoped he finally relaxed a little.

Kara watched some of the tension leave him…made her feel good that she was the reason why. "Great. I'm glad we got that settled." Angling in again, she raised her eyebrows in question. "Now can I get back to what I was doing?" Her hands slid up his thighs coming to rest at the base of his shaft. "You've got a shift to get ready for and I'd like use whatever time we've got to enjoy this?" She didn't wait for his answer, just leaned forward and closed her mouth over his cock.

Lee's eyes rolled closed as his breath hissed out in pleasure. "Ah…please…please continue." His head fell back and he happily let Kara turn his brain to mush.

_Oh gods. _

FIN


	23. Chapter 23

Title: Close Quarters 23/?

Author: Monti

Date: July 22, 2007

Rating: M

Word Count: 3862

Category: L/K AU

Warnings: None

Spoilers: None

Disclaimers: Don't own these people. Just borrowing them for a little while. I promise to put them back when I'm finished.

Author's note: As always…a huge shout out to my beta chicks: ezaspi and Pandora576…I'd be lost without them.

Summary: A continuation from the events occurring in Follow Me. Kara and Lee have settled into their new quarters and face the challenge of living with someone on a day-to-day basis in close quarters. The shiny newness of being an actual couple gives way to the fact that two very different people are trying to share a space, build a life, and not make each other insane in the process. Our saga continues…

PART 23

Lee was running late…again. Seemed to be the norm for him these days.

Working the mid-day shift in CIC, he'd left after briefing the XO and finally caught Hot Dog and Beehive while both were off duty. They'd had another round of getting in each other's faces in the rec room yesterday…not two days after the incident with Kat…and Lee was tired of it.

Getting them together for an informal meeting…that promised formal charges if they didn't make an effort to move past their petty differences…both men agreed to his suggestion that they set up a 'dance' to settle the score between them once and for all. Whatever the outcome…they'd leave it in the ring…and start fresh after the bout. Kara had given him the idea and it was just outside of the box enough to be the solution. Her knack for cutting to the chase came in handy sometimes.

Beehive readily agreed. Hot Dog took longer to come around, not wanting to let go of his grudge against Beechman. But when Lee pointed out that Kat was at the end of her tether with his stupidity, Brendan came to his senses. He would abide by the long-standing tradition of working out his grievances with a regulation-boxing match and maintain a 'ceasefire' until the bout.

With the fleet at a breaking point, the last thing Lee needed was word to get out that two of his pilots were acting like they were still on the playground. Short of tossing them in the brig, he was out of workable options to make them cease and desist. And he needed every pilot he had, so if this did the trick that was all he cared about.

Satisfied with the arrangement and semi-confident his pilots would honor the truce, Lee named a date for the following month. He didn't like waiting that long, but it was the earliest he could manage it…his schedule was jammed until then.

At least he had tonight free…sort of…and Kara should be done for the day considering he was behind schedule yet again.

Entering quarters, Lee grinned when he found Kara fast asleep on the couch…a stack of files sitting next to her with an open one on her lap. Stopping short, he took a moment to simply stare at her.

_Gods she was beautiful._

And the best part?

She could give a frak less.

With the exception of one time…not long after the attacks…Lee couldn't remember her ever being concerned about her looks. Hell, she didn't have to be. Kara's natural beauty was so effortless…so unforced…nothing ever felt cloying or contrived. It was one of the many things he loved about her.

And he was lucky…damn lucky…she loved him.

Making his way to the couch, he moved the folders to the floor and grabbed the one on her lap. Closing it, he put it on top of the stack then lifted her legs up onto the cushions. Her position shifted, which straightened out the awkward angle of her neck. A contented sigh…almost a purr…escaped her lips…the sound of it going straight to his groin.

And damned if he didn't want her.

Now.

Sitting beside her, his fingers brushed over her cheek tracking gently down her throat to land softly at the center of her v-neck shirt. Hmmm…correction…his v-neck shirt. He couldn't say why…but that turned him on even more.

He lifted the hem of the shirt to work his fingers under the waistband of her loose fitting pants. Giving them a slight tug he drew them past her hips and down her legs then pulled her feet free. A soft moan escaped her lips as he started to lightly massage her feet then smoothed his hands over her calves to the sweet spot just behind her knees.

Smiling at her response, he leaned down to place feather-light kisses along Kara's inner thighs. She shivered slightly, gooseflesh rising on her skin so Lee slid to the floor and moved in close not only to lend her the warmth from his body but also so he could remove her panties.

Carefully arranging her legs so she'd still be comfortable but open to him, Lee leaned back long enough to take in how sensual she looked even while sleeping. It wasn't often he got the chance to observe how much she softened in slumber…her face, her posture…everything. It made him feel fiercely protective and intensely primal at the same time. Seeing her like this brought out those conflicting emotions in him.

Splaying one hand at Kara's hip, Lee used the other one to whisper along her thigh as his head bent, hot breath meeting his fingers as they glided over her sensitive nub. Her hips rose, seeking the source of friction and Lee's head dipped further his tongue replacing his hand to tease over the responsive flesh. Eyes raised, Lee watched her as the tip of his tongue traced slow, lazy circles over her clit gradually increasing in pace along with her breathing even while she slept on.

When she was slick and ready, he gently pushed two fingers inside, curling them upwards to massage the mass of internal nerves that would push her over the edge. Hitting the spot, Kara's eyes blinked open, her languid, sleepy gaze holding his. Her breathing quickened again as her hips bucked against his mouth and he felt her hands move to his shoulders, fingers gripping tightly as she broke, gasping his name with a hoarse cry.

Pleasure crashing through her and now fully awake, Kara grabbed Lee's shirt tugging him toward her. Their lips met her tongue chasing his and she tasted herself but didn't care. She wanted Lee…hard and ready and now. Still kissing him, she sat up to rapidly undo the buttons on his shirt. Kara had it shoved halfway down his arms before she felt his hands grab hers as he reluctantly broke the kiss.

Breathless and cursing the need to stop, Lee voice rasped against her face. "We're gonna have to hold this thought." He kissed her chin, the tip of her nose, her forehead. "The President invited us to dinner with Dad…and I couldn't exactly say no." He snagged her lips for one more lingering kiss before stopping to help her up.

Kara groaned, her sleepy brain trying to come up with a suitable excuse to just stay home and wrapped up in Lee all night. But she knew he was right so grabbing his hand she stood and snagged her discarded clothes. "Guess we can't really beg off when it's Laura Roslin giving the invite." Giving Lee a quick kiss, she muttered against his lips. "Can't believe you didn't wake me up so we could both enjoy that little treat." Making her way to the head, she smiled as Lee shrugged his shirt back into place, wondering what she was talking about…he had thoroughly enjoyed himself.

Taking a quick shower, Kara let the water pound the rest of the fatigue out of her. She found herself looking forward to dinner as she toweled off…until she was hit with an unwelcome thought. "Frak…this is about Baltar isn't it?" _Damn_. She should have seen that one coming.

Lee handed her fresh clothes as she came out of the bath. "I'd say it's open for discussion, yes." He ducked in after Kara vacated, hastily checking his own appearance and taking care of the necessities.

He exited to find Kara ready and waiting. "I get the feeling he's not the only thing on the agenda though." Letting Kara precede him, he followed her to the hatch.

Considering the brewing unrest, Kara agreed with a grimace. "Hey…at least there won't be any covert mentions of marriage this time around." Nothing like a little turmoil to put the kibosh on surprise attacks.

Draping an arm over her shoulder, Lee concurred. "Good point. They both have enough on their plates to keep them quiet about that topic for a while." He and Kara were perfectly capable of deciding for themselves about matrimony.

Kara's stomach growled and she shot him a smile. "So…let's go eat."

On the way to Adama's quarters, Kara asked how everything went with the bickering pilots so Lee filled her in, letting her know her idea was spot on. Her speculation regarding who would come out on top had them both laughing when the commander greeted them at the hatch while Laura put the finishing touches on the table. Kara did a quick double take at the domesticated scene glancing at Lee to see if he had the same reaction. If the look on his face was an indicator he was as surprised as she.

The president smiled as they approached. "Major. Captain." With hostess-like grace she directed them to take their seats while she picked up the water pitcher and started pouring. "Please. Sit."

Lee smiled back…thankful it kept his mouth from gaping open.

His eyes flew to his father's asking the silent question. _Anything you'd care to share, dad?_

Adama's self-satisfied smile was the only answer he received. Sneaking a look at Kara he was relieved she appeared as clueless as he did. As they seated themselves, he caught her gaze and shrugged his shoulders indicating this was all news to him.

After sharing a smile with Bill, Laura jumped right into conversation while picking up a serving dish to get the meal started. "Captain Thrace." She paused and took a more personal tone, dropping the formality. "Kara." Passing the plate to Adama, she continued speaking as she picked up another one. "I've found that cutting right to it saves a lot of time and energy. Please accept my apology for the Vice President's actions."

Kara opened her mouth to say it wasn't necessary but Roslin held up her hand so she could finish. "I know you handled the situation and I'm sure you'd like to leave it in the past…so I won't ask you repeat the details." She took a moment before continuing. "But I would like you to know that as soon as Lee brought this to my attention I had my staff start making discreet inquiries into Baltar's activities while he was out in the fleet." Picking up a dish of vegetables she gave them the details. "From what they can tell he was with two women and it was consensual on both occasions. However…I'm not going to take any chances." Satisfied everyone had what they needed as far as dinner was concerned she handed a bottle of wine to Bill so he could pour.

With a small sigh, Lee placed the last serving dish on the table. "An over active libido isn't unheard of in a public office…but this is different. We aren't dealing with millions of people spread across twelve colonies…we're down to thousands living in ships." And it _was_ Baltar they were discussing. They might know about two women…but Lee would bet his life there were more.

Kara's thoughts were much the same…considering how indiscreet Gaius had been with Ellen Tigh. "Yeah…and a Vice President who flaunts his open zipper is a problem."

Roslin agreed. "Here's the thing. I knew when I asked Dr. Baltar to run for office that it could come back to bite me. He's got a strange way about him, but in all honesty…he was the perfect foil to Tom Zarek." And she'd needed an edge to win over his machinations.

No one could argue the sentiment. Tom Zarek as a Quorum member was bad enough. Vice Presidency would have been disastrous.

After taking a drink, Roslin laid out her solution. "Since I don't have time to worry about my Vice President trying to manipulate women into his bed here's what's going to happen." Leaning forward slightly, she went on. "Doctor Baltar is going to get his very own Vice Presidential aide." Whether he wanted one or not.

Kara cocked her head to the side, pondering the idea. "Baltar's not going to like that." From what she'd seen, Gaius relished having free rein to do nothing at all.

Laura's decision wasn't news to Adama, but he concurred. "No, he's not." Looking across the table at Lee, he added, "He'll get used to the idea." Or find himself off the ship.

Lee smiled at his father's words, but added a different perspective. "Backing him into a corner could make him more obsessive. His fascination with Kara went into overdrive after Ellen Tigh left the ship." With a mouthful of food, Kara could only nod with confirmation.

Laura acknowledged their concerns but her answer was firm. "I won't have the Vice President of the Colonies abusing the office for his own nefarious purposes." Her distaste was evident, but she perked up. "He may not like the idea of having an aide assigned by me, but I don't think he'll object to the person I have in mind." Not if she knew Gaius at all.

Eyes narrowing, Lee queried. "Who are you considering?" He mentally started running through her staff members.

Roslin smiled, knowing exactly what he was doing. "Tory Foster." She was perfect for the task.

Lee recognized the name. He'd worked with her briefly during the civilian pilot program. "Your numbers person. The one who runs all the polls?" She was beautiful and her ability to randomly rattle off numbers at a rapid pace should make her appealing to Baltar.

Roslin confirmed it. "Yes. Tory is very attractive, very female. She's also smart, savvy, and best of all…loyal only to me." Her mouth turned up in an almost impish grin.

Kara thought it was pure genius. "A watchdog that strokes Baltar's ego. It's great." She sincerely hoped she never got on the bad side of this woman.

Adama agreed. "It's a good plan. Keeping Baltar in check means we can pay attention to other matters." Looking over at Lee, he nodded. "It's time. Brief the pilots." They were going to be the eyes and ears of what was happening in the fleet for the next two weeks.

Laura cleared her throat then turned her attention to the couple. "I also have another request…for both of you." She glanced at Bill for a moment before continuing, addressing Lee. "We touched on the subject of Tom Zarek during our last meeting…" Assuming Kara was up to date, she jumped forward to her point. "I want to find out where he's getting his intelligence…and discover if he's behind any of the problems we're having."

Pausing to take a drink and glance at Bill, Laura let them absorb her words before laying out the rest. "I want you both to come up with a couple of people you can count on to discreetly monitor his activities." She had their undivided attention with that statement. "Because I trust both of you implicitly…I'm confident you'll find the right group for this detail." She wanted to say it was top priority but she refrained. While Bill saw the importance of keeping tabs on Tom Zarek, he felt his crew would be spreading themselves too thin. She'd reluctantly given her word not to unduly influence them.

Both pilots looked to the commander for approval…they didn't miss the undercurrents swirling around the topic.

Bill sat silently, weighing Laura's desire to dig deeper into Zarek's sources against his own warring concern they'd be taking on too much. It went against his better judgment…using members of his crew for gathering information on a Quorum member…however he knew Laura only had one or two people she could rely on completely and that wasn't enough to do the job.

With a sigh, Adama leaned forward, leveling his gaze on them. "No more than five or six…keep it small." Shoving his plate out of the way, he clasped his hands in front of him. "They'll report directly to you, not even the XO knows about this." His meaning was clear…Adama couldn't risk a potential leak through Ellen.

Confident they understood, he continued. "I'll okay whatever's needed…schedule changes, passes, security clearance…all off log." Meaning no official record, which could complicate things. "This is a lot to ask…" Bill sent a pointed look toward Laura. "You two okay with it?"

After exchanging a quick glance with Lee…what was one more thing added to their ever-growing pile…Kara answered. "Yeah. We're good." Pushing her empty plate away while scooting her chair back, she looked to Lee again. "We should head out. Get started on this now." With the undertones bouncing between the two leaders, she figured it would be a good idea to cut the evening short.

Not to mention the nugget paperwork she didn't get finished was still waiting for her. Class started next week.

Pushing his seat back, Lee took the hint. "Right. We should." He moved to gather up some of the serving dishes only to be waved off by Roslin.

Flashing her a grin, he sobered and focused his attention on Adama. "I'll get those names to you by first watch." Making his way to the hatch where Kara waited, he paused turning back to their hosts. "We won't let you down." At least he hoped they wouldn't.

Saying goodnight, they exited the hatch with Kara putting her arm around his waist as they left the older couple. And they did appear to be a couple in spite of everything his father and the president _weren't_ saying to each other by the end of the evening. Lee chuckled as he wrapped an arm around Kara pulling her close to him. _Good for them_.

Leaning in, Kara laughed lightly and agreed. "MmHmm. Bout time the old man thought of himself." Lee didn't need to tell her what he was thinking.

Grinning, Lee nodded. "Yeah. It is." Dropping his arm, he reached for her hand threading his fingers with hers. "Let's go…we've got plans to make."

Two hours later, Lee sat…absently rubbing one of Kara's feet, which were propped on his lap. He was looking over his notes on the six names they'd put together. It was a solid group…one he thought would end up working out well.

Helo was at the top of the list, the first person they both thought of as they entered quarters. Felix Gaeta was next and brought a smile to Lee's face as he remembered the scrunched up look on Kara's face when he'd mentioned him. She soon nodded in agreement as Lee pointed out that Gaeta had access to comm traffic not to mention numerous contacts out in the fleet he could pump for information.

The Chief's system of using his bootleg alcohol to get his hands on the equipment needed to keep their birds in the air should work the same with intel. And Cally was already established as the primary 'go to' person when Galen was occupied elsewhere. They had to include her…trying to bring someone new in at this point would only arouse suspicion. Besides…as Kara pointed out…underneath Cally's quiet demeanor lurked keen observational and deductive reasoning skills.

After all, Cally was one of the first to catch onto their former game of hooking up wherever they could. She could end up as a useful source.

Lee was still a little surprised at the last two names, not because they weren't excellent choices…they were. But they were two people he never dreamed Kara would suggest.

Racetrack and Kat.

With Maggie's past history with Kara, he'd refrained from mentioning her…even though she did most of the transport hops between ships and could keep her eyes open for Zarek sightings. His face must have shown his astonishment because Kara had nudged him in the ribs with her foot and told him not to be so narrow minded…she was perfectly capable of giving props where they were due. She and Maggie had pretty much put any past grievances aside. Lee didn't tell her he was proud of her…just inclined his head in acknowledgment.

He'd needed some convincing with Kat. She was a Viper pilot and needed on patrols…Lee didn't want to pull her off rotation. Kara didn't think they'd have to go as far as changing up the schedule…just put Kat in the right place at the right time. Since she used to pilot freighters and still met with some of her old crew out in the fleet, she could make some inquiries on her next turn off ship. Maybe track some of Zarek's movements…see what he'd been up to…if anything.

If things came together the way Lee thought they would, this group would give him all the information he'd need to keep the man in line. But his dad was right to be concerned…they did have a heap of stuff hitting them all at once. He laid his notes aside with a sigh. Topping it all off…there had been zero contact from the Cylons…for…well…too long. Picking up Kara's other foot, he used both hands, working his thumbs along the arch until she groaned from the pleasure.

Looking up from the fit reps on her lap, she threw Lee by saying. "It has been too quiet." Shifting her position, she laid her stack of files on the floor. "Funny…the civilians in the fleet are at their breaking point and the Cylons are nowhere in sight…makes you wonder doesn't it?" Gently pulling her feet loose from Lee's grip, she sat crossed-legged, tucking them under her thighs.

Since it was what he'd been thinking, Lee didn't argue the point. "Yep. Why now?" He turned toward her, drawing one leg up against the cushions to rest his chin on his knee. "It's not like they keep a schedule or anything…but it's damned odd they back off right about the time things start heating up with the civilians." It was more than odd…Lee could feel it…just couldn't put his finger on what 'it' was.

Kara jerked her head in agreement then said softly, "Begs the question of whether they've got an inside source." She watched Lee's eyes go wide as he considered that option. "Yeah…frakking scary, isn't it?" She'd personally hit the switch to airlock anyone giving the Cylons the scoop on fleet conditions.

Lee muttered an oath. "Frak me." It was a hell of a thing to think about. "If conditions and morale get much worse…hell…the Cylons can sit back and watch humanity implode." Gods…it made him sick to ponder the implications.

Kara watched as the tension settled over Lee's features, his eyes staring at nothing. Frak…she'd been thinking out loud more than anything…she didn't mean to sling more crap for him to worry about.

Wanting to kick herself for opening her mouth, Kara scrambled to reassure him. "They could…but we're not gonna let that happen." She moved, scooting closer to snag Lee's fingers as they moved distractedly at the seam of his pants. "Lee." His eyes blinked twice before they focused on her. "Brief the pilots, let them do the work…fill out their reports." Cupping his face with her hands, she added. "Worry about this next week when the logs start coming in and you're buried up to your eyeballs in paperwork." That earned her a grimace…but it turned into a grin so she relaxed a little.

Kara was right. Letting the 'what ifs' eat at him would be insanity. Better to set it aside and wait 'til he had a clearer working picture.

Taking a page from her book, he decided to enjoy the next couple of days while he had the chance. "Good point." He shook off the building tension and leaned in to capture her lips for a quick kiss. "I needed the reminder."

Kara's mouth turned up in a smile then split into a grin. "Speaking of reminders …" It was her turn to kiss Lee…with intensity…setting the scene so to speak.

Coming up for air, Lee pretended bafflement. "I'm sorry…I'm supposed to remember anything after a kiss like that?" He cocked his head sideways as if he were trying to figure it out.

Laughing, Kara slid her hands to Lee's collar to tug him forward until they were almost in the exact position they'd been in before dinner. "Refresh your memory any?" Her hands skimmed over his shoulders shoving his shirt back and down his arms.

Gods, he loved her.

Shrugging his shirt the rest of the way off, Lee reached for and unfastened Kara's pants. "Ah…yes. It's all coming back to me…" Letting her draw her legs out, he tossed the bunched up fabric over his shoulder. "Something about holding a thought…right?" Moving back into position he shuddered as Kara's lips burned a path along his skin.

Grinning, Kara flicked her tongue over Lee's ear before whispering, "Exactly."

Then it was her turn to forget everything.

FIN


	24. Chapter 24

Title: Close Quarters 24/?

Author: Monti

Date: August 13, 2007

Rating: M

Word Count: 3597

Category: L/K AU

Warnings: None

Spoilers: None

Disclaimers: Don't own these people. Just borrowing them for a little while. I promise to put them back when I'm finished.

Author's note: As always…a huge shout out to my beta chicks: ezaspi and Pandora576…I'd be lost without them.

Author's additional note: Since this story is AU…Tory isn't a Cylon in my version. Just a heads up in case you were wondering.

Summary: A continuation from the events occurring in Follow Me. Kara and Lee have settled into their new quarters and face the challenge of living with someone on a day-to-day basis in close quarters. The shiny newness of being an actual couple gives way to the fact that two very different people are trying to share a space, build a life, and not make each other insane in the process. Our saga continues…

PART 24

Two weeks later Lee sat behind his desk staring at piles of reports, stacked neatly and lined up by squadron. Kara hadn't been far off target when she said he'd be buried. Thinking back to the briefing and the loud chorus of grumbles and groans he'd received when he'd finished, Lee had to admit he was surprised by the volume and detail provided by his pilots.

He was also rather proud of them…even though he now had enough work for three people to get through.

Sucking in a deep breath then letting it out slowly he figured it was time to dive in and attempt to make heads or tails of all the information.

Reaching out to slide the first stack in front of him, he'd just opened the top file when a knock sounded outside the hatch. "Enter." Flipping the folder closed, he looked up to see Helo stepping into the office.

Getting a look at Lee's desk, Helo cringed. "Bad time?" He pointed to the much smaller group of files tucked under his arm.

_Ah…the Zarek intel._

After shooting a scorching look at the mess on his desk, Lee snorted. "Yeah…not sure there _is_ a good time, right now." Waving Helo in, he chuckled. "I think Kara bribed everyone so I really would be buried under a mountain of paper."

Helo shook his head and laughed as he sat in one of the chairs opposite Lee.

Then his face went serious. "Look, before we get started…I want to thank you for…" Helo paused for a minute…unsure how to express his appreciation with the trust they'd given him.

Lee held up a hand. "Not necessary." He leaned forward putting his elbows on his desk. "In truth…I have to thank you. If you hadn't stepped up Kara and I would be…well…either at each other's throats or in sickbay from exhaustion." His words were so close to the truth it wasn't funny. He and Kara had bit off more than they could reasonably handle.

But Karl had indeed saved their asses.

After Adama had approved the submitted names, he suggested that Lee work ahead on the flight schedules so he could keep up when the pilot reports started to roll in. They both knew it wouldn't be long before an op would be set and the chances Lee or Kara wouldn't be smack in the middle of it were nil.

While Lee plotted extended schedules Kara handled the first week of detailing Tom Zarek's movements by procuring a pass for Kat and Hot Dog to meet up with Kat's former crew, and setting Maggie up with digital equipment to record and film her transport runs. Gaeta met with her daily to hand off any comm traffic mentioning Tom's name, which Kara read through…notating anything that wasn't quorum related…before handing it off to Lee.

Tyrol, Cally and Helo spent some of their down time brewing up copious amounts of extra alcohol then put their heads together to hatch plans for getting it into the right hands for an exchange of information. Kara fielded whatever else she had to so it all ran smoothly…and it was a good set-up.

Until the second week when Kara's new class of nuggets started basic flight.

They'd quickly realized after the nightmare first day, with Kara splitting time between the sim room and flying CAP and Lee standing watch, flying his own rotation and walking into a pilot briefing to find the first stack of reports waiting for him…they'd taken on too much. Something was going to have to give.

Looking at Helo with gratitude, Lee sat back in his chair. "Seriously, Karl…we owe you one." If nothing else, Lee owed him for showing up just as he and Kara were gearing up for a major argument…over whose brilliant idea it was to say yes to Laura Roslin.

Karl grinned at the thanks but sobered. "Yeah…you may not be saying that in a minute." He opened the top file and laid it out in front of Lee. "For all our skulking around…Zarek's been a good boy." Helo sat back, shaking his head. "I mean, yes…he skates right along the fringes of everything…but as you'll see in the file…from what we can tell, he's doing it to keep up with what's happening with the civilians." Letting out a sigh, Karl shrugged. "I'm sorry we couldn't pin him down for something."

Lee skimmed the neatly written pages. "Don't be. I'm not sure that's a bad thing." Trusting Zarek was out of the question…but using him and his shady contacts…that had potential. "At least this gives us one less person to worry about stirring up trouble." _For now_.

Closing the file, Lee gathered the other folders and stood. "Plus with Zarek in the clear for the moment, we can take his name off the list as ring leader for the civil unrest." Filing the reports, he turned back as Helo was standing. "If you've got time…I could use some help with these." He nodded toward the big piles on the desk.

Karl wasn't about to turn Lee down. He loved flying, liked being an ECO…but after being stranded and fighting his way off the planet he'd felt out of sync since returning to his post. The challenge of stepping in for Kara…everything from organizing details to making plans with Tyrol and Cally…had sparked something in him. The need for something different…and this definitely qualified.

He was probably grinning like an idiot but he didn't care.

Unbuttoning the top buttons of his uniform he sat back down, eager to jump in. "Where do I start?" Looking up, he laughed at the baffled expression of Lee's face.

Lee just shook his head…but he couldn't deny having Helo around would make the chore of reading and compiling more palatable. Seating himself, he shoved a towering stack over to Karl who snagged the top file and had it open before Lee could even blink.

Lee had a feeling his workload had just been cut in half.

Damned if he was going to complain.

Kara sat in her office reading over sim stats for the first week of basic flight. Usually the nuggets had at least two or three weeks of instruction time before they even got close to a sim…that was just the way it was done…until it hit Kara that it wasn't necessary. This wasn't the flight academy or war college. This group didn't have other classes they were trying to juggle…it was all about learning to fly.

So she'd put them in the sim room on the second day. Nothing big…just positioning in the bird and pre-flight checks, but she was amazed at how quickly some of the nuggets picked up on things she normally spent a solid week of class time drumming into their heads.

Remarkable what burning the wick at both ends could inspire sometimes.

It was also amazing she and Lee hadn't killed each other yet. They were exhausted, cranky, worn out and it was taking its toll. On the rare occasions they actually saw each other they found themselves arguing at the drop of a hat. Over stupid stuff.

Last week, they'd been ready to throw down over something she couldn't even remember when Helo had dropped by for a visit. It knocked the wind out the almost fight as they both saw the solution to their dilemma at the same time.

It was one of the things Kara counted on…that odd synchronization kicking in at the perfect moment.

But even with Helo helping out they were still working opposite shifts and drowning in details. She missed Lee, missed just spending the evening with him. And she craved a point when things would slow down even though she knew it wouldn't be anytime soon.

The very idea that she would look forward to quiet made Kara smile as she finished up her notes on the last nugget file. Closing the folder and scooping up the rest of the files, she caught the sound of Baltar's frustrated voice out in the corridor. No doubt he'd tried to give Tory the slip again but she was sticking to him like glue. Roslin had chosen well…the woman wasn't a pushover and she handled Gaius so smoothly he didn't get away with anything.

The thought of it made Kara grin as they walked past the open hatch and she could just make out what they were discussing.

"Really, Ms. Foster." Baltar's tone was haughty and indignant. "I'm going to be ensconced in my lab for at least three days…" His next words had a biting edge to them. "And since what I'm working on requires absolute secrecy…I _won't_ need your assistance."

Kara rolled her eyes and all but snorted at the idea of Gaius Baltar actually working on anything.

She could hear Tory sigh before she spoke, a slight grate to her voice. "Doctor Baltar…" Addressing the man instead of the office was a smart move. "I know you're aware that I received top level clearance when I was assigned to you. Nothing you're doing goes above that." Her voice lost the edge taking on a wistful note. "What you're probably not aware of is the fact that I have three degrees…" She was back to business with the next part. "I may not have a title like you do…but I was just shy of graduating when the attacks ended my doctoral pursuit in not one but two of my fields…" Tory paused for effect and Baltar took the bait.

"Really?" Kara could practically visualize the smarmy look on his face. "Which fields?"

"Behavioral Science and Mathematics."

Kara bit back a laugh. Behavioral Science? Oh…she could only imagine Baltar's reaction to that one. He was probably twitching in response.

Tory didn't miss a beat. "Instead of viewing me as the interloper you seem to think I am…you should be considering me a valuable asset."

Kara was impressed. Appealing to Baltar's sense of entitlement? Tory couldn't be playing it any better.

Baltar's voice was curious. "An asset?"

Or maybe she could.

Tory's voice took on a husky quality as she cemented herself to Gaius with her next words. "Yes…one it would serve you well to use to your advantage."

Oh…Tory was better than good. She was frakking brilliant.

Everything she said…every word she chose was pitch perfectly designed to hit Gaius right between the eyes…and a little lower. Double entendres, subservient dialog…Kara was torn between a desire to laugh out loud at the aide's masterful manipulation and a wish to slap her on the back with congratulations.

As their voices drifted away…Baltar was now condescendingly smug, like a cat with a bird in its sights. Kara stowed the sim reports in her drawer and decided the previous exchange needed to be shared with Lee, not only for entertainment value but because she had a feeling Gaius was well in hand.

Running his schedule through her head, she closed the hatch and headed for the hangar deck knowing Lee would be still be sifting through piles of paperwork. In sharp contrast to Gaius who Kara had never actually seen do anything remotely resembling actual work. Hell, he didn't even draw the blood samples he was supposedly testing for Cylon markers.

Compared to Lee who not only did the job of CAG…work that was 24/7 to begin with…then took on the multiple projects he always seemed to be called up for and the difference was staggering. Baltar was all about the fun, the glory and whatever would benefit _him_ the most.

Lee…Lee was about the work. Keeping people alive, taking care of his pilots, and trying to keep some semblance of control over all the chaos.

Not that he didn't have fun. For all her teasing him about control issues, Lee had loosened up considerably. Living with her had been good for him in that respect. Sort of like being with him had smoothed off some of her rougher edges.

She still bucked the system when she thought it didn't work and Lee continued trying to control things he couldn't, but all in all they balanced each other out. It still surprised her sometimes…that they'd made it work…but giving in to how she felt about him wasn't something Kara would ever regret.

In fact, it was one of her smarter moves.

Maybe her next brilliant maneuver could be talking Lee into some quality sex in the office. Not that she'd have to twist his arm…almost two weeks of being too tired, too cranky and not even close to having the same schedule…he'd be more than ready.

Picturing Lee…surrounded by neat piles of paperwork and all the ways they could make a mess of them…gave her a decided thrill. Picking up her pace, she hit the next deck plan firmly in mind.

Lee was still reading through pilot reports when Kara breezed into his office ready for some action…only to discover he wasn't alone.

_Frak. Change of plan. _

Stopping abruptly Kara looked from Lee to Helo and back to Lee again. Only slightly frustrated she decided she could work with this setup. She'd just make Lee so insane with lust he'd send Karl packing.

Lips turning up in a wicked smile, Kara moved to stand behind Lee. "Hey Karl…whatcha doing?" Resting her hands casually on Lee's shoulders, she surveyed their work in progress.

They were using an old flight board to pin up information, divided by group, in the hopes of getting a clear picture of where the civil unrest was concentrated and who was behind the trouble. So far it looked like they'd only scratched the surface but it was becoming clear the ship that Zarek told them about was indeed a hub of activity.

Leaning down, Kara said for Lee's ears only. "Impressive." Squeezing his shoulders, she felt his shrug indicating the credit wasn't all his.

Sticking the last name on the board, Helo looked back at Kara and smiled. "Apollo here roped me into helping out." He ran his finger down a list of common names that kept popping up in the reports.

Draping her arms around Lee's neck, Kara rested her chin on his shoulder. "Not bad for just getting started." Nipping at Lee's ear, she grinned when he shuddered a little.

Losing his train of thought, Lee found he didn't care…they'd been working solidly for a couple of hours. It was time to wrap things up…before he and Karl became cross-eyed from sifting through files.

Standing behind him, chin resting on his shoulder…breath fanning against his ear like a siren's song, Kara was a welcome distraction. He felt the pull of his baser instincts reminding him that they hadn't seen much of each other lately.

And he wanted her.

Now.

Easing his chair back, he turned and tugged Kara forward to straddle his lap. "It'll do for a start." Flashing her a smile, he leaned forward to catch her lips for what he intended to be a quick kiss, but Kara had other plans.

The first kiss melted into another one and then…another. Lee could practically feel the temperature rise with each embrace generating molten need between them.

Everything else faded away.

Helo didn't need a manual to tell him they weren't going any further with work at the moment. Witnessing their naked passion up close and personal…he felt like a voyeur. Not to mention he was mildly jealous…he'd had that once…but it was gone now.

Heading for the hatch Karl cleared his throat then told Lee he'd see him after shift tomorrow. 

Making what he hoped resembled an affirmative sound Lee was too wrapped up in Kara to really know for certain.

Lips still meshed with Lee's, Kara lifted her hand in a wave then made a shooing motion, which Karl was only too happy to honor. Stepping out of the office, he closed the hatch thinking it would be nice to have what they had again.

Hearing the soft clang of the hatch closing spurred Kara into action. She could barely think with Lee's lips sucking at the pulse point of her throat. Flooded with heat, her fingers unbuttoned the rest of his shirt then shoved it off his shoulders.

Lee followed suit, standing up while pushing her fatigue shirt out of the way. Reaching for her tanks, he lifted them over her head but didn't bother with the bra instead dipping his head to tease her nipple through the soft fabric.

Gasping at the extra kick of friction…Kara quickly toed off her shoes then kicked her pants out of the way. While Lee moved his attention to the other peak, she got his pants unfastened pushing them down far enough to expose his cock. One hand closed around it, the other jerked his head up so their lips could meet in a burning kiss.

Kara couldn't wait…she stumbled backwards against the wall, pulling Lee with her. Using his shoulders for leverage, she lifted herself up enough to slide over his length. With Lee cupping her ass, Kara's hands clung to his shoulders as they both moved together in an almost frantic need to consume each other.

It was like that between them sometimes…the passion sparking out of control with barely more than a look or touch. Flaring hot and fast it pushed them both to the edge with lightning quickness. Gasping breaths, rapid thrusting, hurried rocking, and kisses hotter than Hades…all propelling them toward oblivion.

And when hit it…and they came together…gods…it was sharp, intense and knocked them both for a loop. Sinking to the floor, still reeling, they collapsed in a heap of tangled limbs as they both tried to drag air into their lungs.

When he could breath again, Lee rasped. "Gods that was incredible." It never ceased to amaze him how quickly they went from zero to scorching sometimes.

Blinking her eyes open, she waited until her vision cleared before looking up at Lee. "Um…yeah." Her heart was still beating erratically but she wasn't as breathless as a moment ago. "Damn Lee…that was insane." Kara was a little stunned also.

Shifting against the wall, she shivered as her hypersensitive skin hit a cooler area.

Lee noticed the goosebumps and reached behind him to drag Kara's balled up fatigue shirt over, gently draping it around her shoulders. Then he twisted sideways to fix his pants so he could gather up the rest of their clothes.

Handing Kara's over, he watched her wriggle back into her clothes and his mind went spinning back to when they used to sneak around all the time. Maybe it was a subconscious thing…the intense reaction that always led to incredible sex.

Who was he kidding?

He never knew when that 'something' that always lurked under the surface between them was going to erupt and overflow.

The only difference now was the frequency with which it happened.

The desperate quality of their first encounters had given way to something deeper, more insightful. It didn't mean there weren't occasions when a glance, a hint of skin or a whisper of breath didn't ignite the love and lust they found together.

He doubted that would ever change.

_They_ were what had changed.

They'd grown.

Expanded into something more together than they were apart.

Kara had always been confident…flying, playing cards, being able to handle herself in a fight. Those came as naturally to her as breathing.

Lee was one of the few who knew the thing that really tripped her up…made her doubt herself…was the everyday life stuff. Anything that bonded people together and gave them access to what was on the inside.

Those little things everyone else took for granted left Kara swimming in a sea of uncertainty.

But she was self-assured now, navigating those murky waters by using her instincts and letting people see more of Kara and less of Starbuck.

Letting them see the woman he saw.

As for him…being with Kara gave him balance. She tempered his more rigid way of thinking with her off the wall approach to life. Showed him that sometimes not being in control of everything was the best way to discover something new.

Not bad…considering living in close quarters was a challenge under the best of circumstances. The fact he and Kara managed to not only do it, but to thrive and compliment each other said something quite profound.

The end of the world could be a beginning for something else.

It hit Lee, as Kara sat on the floor efficiently buttoning her shirt, that they wouldn't even be together if the Cylons' hadn't attacked the colonies.

They would never have found the safe harbor that they had in each other.

He wouldn't have discovered that life could be a thrill ride…full of ups and downs with twists and turns where you least expect them…or that he'd love every minute of them.

Because of her.

Kara looked up to see Lee grinning like a fool, hand held out to help her up. "What?" They'd had so little to smile about lately she wanted in on the secret.

Catching her face in his hands Lee kissed her. "You know…even with the trouble brewing out in the fleet…I just realized we have something no one else has." Hauling her against him, his lips met hers again.

Coming up for air, Kara tilted her head back. "Yeah? What's that?" The grin was back on his face and she answered with her own.

Wrapping his arms around her, Lee answered, simply. "Each other."

Leaning into him, Kara agreed with another kiss. "Yeah…we do."

FIN


	25. Chapter 25

Title: Close Quarters 25/25

Author: Monti

Date: September 15, 2007

Rating: M

Word Count: 3783

Category: L/K AU

Warnings: None

Spoilers: None

Disclaimers: Don't own these people. Just borrowing them for a little while. I promise to put them back when I'm finished.

Author's note: As always…a huge shout out to my beta chicks: ezaspi and Pandora576…I'd be lost without them.

Summary: A continuation from the events occurring in Follow Me. Kara and Lee have settled into their new quarters and face the challenge of living with someone on a day-to-day basis in close quarters. The shiny newness of being an actual couple gives way to the fact that two very different people are trying to share a space, build a life, and not make each other insane in the process. Our saga continues…

PART 25

Kara came off a late flight rotation pondering the event set for the next day. Two weeks had flown and the 'dance' between Hot Dog and Beehive had ballooned into a ship-wide affair. Once word got out, the old man decided to let everyone blow off some steam in the hopes of keeping things tight and boosting morale. Rumors were flying, everyone was a little on edge, and this was one way of dispelling tension within their own ranks.

As for herself, Kara was looking forward to some downtime. She wasn't back on rotation for a couple of days since the nuggets were scheduled for Raptor training. Certifying pilots for the larger planes wasn't her favorite thing…and she'd managed to avoid it with the first class since they'd needed Viper pilots as a priority. But she couldn't get around it this time…her group was qualifying in both areas with only the best filling the open slots for Vipers.

If everything went according to plan, Galactica would have their brand new batch of rookies in a little over a month. Her accelerated teaching method should shave off a nice chunk of time, giving Lee enough crew to form just over a full squadron. That meant they'd have some people in reserve.

And hopefully it would ease some of the burden he had right now. Kara was worried about him…he was sleeping even less than usual while he worked with Karl and herself…when her schedule allowed…to make heads or tails of all the intel gathered on the civilian unrest. The non-stop effort hadn't produced the results Lee was hoping for…he wanted the name of the person in control and urging the conflict.

At least he was going to put it aside for a day…by officiating at the dance…along with Helo and Tigh. If she had her way, Lee wouldn't look at anything resembling a flight schedule or report for at least twenty-four hours.

Grinning at the thought she let herself into quarters and had to bite back a laugh. Lee and Karl were sprawled at opposite ends of the couch, stacks of files between them…fast asleep. The flight board was propped up against a chair and from the looks of it they'd made a little more progress.

Shaking her head while letting out a sigh, Kara nudged Karl's boot with her own. "Hey, Sleepyhead…wake up." When she didn't get a response, she reached forward and shook him gently awake.

Looking at her with bleary eyes, Helo scrubbed his hand over his face. "Kara, hey." He glanced around trying to get his bearings. "What's going on?" Sitting up his hand went to his neck to rub at a kink.

Smiling a little, Kara kept her voice barely above a whisper. "Come on…looks like you need sleep as much as Lee does." She gave him a hand up and walked him to the hatch. "Go get some rack time…you don't want to be late for…" Glancing at the clock…it read after midnight. "Well…later."

Still a little groggy, Helo thought rack time sounded damn good. "Yeah…right." He turned, almost stumbling over the threshold, but managing to clear it. "Sorry for passing out in your quarters." Giving in to a huge yawn, he started down the corridor. "See you ringside."

Kara nodded before closing the hatch and turning back to Lee. She thought about leaving him on the couch, but decided he'd wake up stiff and uncomfortable if she did.

Sitting beside him, she smoothed the hair back from his forehead. Even asleep, he looked tired…with shadows under his eyes. Working ahead on the flight rosters had helped, but he still had to maintain a full schedule. Throw in a considered a lack of progress dealing with the trouble brewing out in the fleet and top it off with a sit down meeting with Tom Zarek and Lee only managed to catch a few hours of rest here and there.

Stroking her fingers down his cheek, Kara wondered how much longer he could maintain the pace. Hell, she wondered how any of them could.

Leaning forward she said his name softly. "Lee." His head jerked, but he didn't wake up. "Lee." Her hand nudged his shoulder.

Lee was deep in the ether of the first decent amount of sleep he'd had in days. He was back on Caprica…high up in the hills where his grandfather had a cabin tucked away on the fringes of the city. Starting in high school, he'd go up there to unwind…usually after final exams…but sometimes when life felt like it was closing in on him.

It was his very own slice of paradise.

The rustic cabin sat next to a nice sized lake fed by a pristine waterfall from mountain run-off. It never mattered how bone weary he was when he got there…he always left feeling like a new person. Even if he only got to spend one night…there was something about the quiet…the solitude…the stillness of the night sky that seeped into him and calmed the chaos of whatever was going on at the time.

Sitting in his favorite spot on an over-sized, sun warmed rock, Lee let the magic of the surroundings recharge his system. He was so godsdamned tired. Hearing his name, he turned toward the sound but it was either lost in the roar of the falls or he'd imagined it. He shrugged it off…no one ever followed him up here. And it sounded like Kara's voice…but that couldn't be…she'd never been anywhere near this place.

He heard it again…and suddenly…there was Kara…standing in front of him with the falls framing her like a picture. Shaking his head, he blinked, knowing he had to be dreaming but not quite able to pull himself out of it.

Probably because he didn't really want to…

Reaching out, he cupped Kara's face and drew her forward snagging her lips with his. It didn't register that she'd pulled him to stand until they were close to the falls, up against the rocks frantically trying to remove each other's clothing between kisses, nips, and gasping breaths. Shirts…pants…why weren't there any shoes…everything melted away until he was there, lifting Kara over his cock, filling her, unable to hold back his groan of satisfaction.

Sinking to the ground, his back braced against the rocks and his hands on her hips, he urged Kara to rapidly ride him. His lips burning along her skin as she rocked over him, each movement pulling him closer to the edge. Sliding his hands along her ribs, he brought them forward to cup her breasts, thumbs skimming over her nipples. Her wanton moan only kicked him closer to the brink as his lips sought hers, his tongue plundering her mouth. 

With her fingers digging into his shoulders, Lee braced his hands on the ground, lifting his hips to meet hers. Kara tossed her head back, gasping at the deeper penetration and twisted her hips in response. A shudder ripped through him and he fought to hang on, the need for Kara to break with him warring with the desire to let go and seek his release.

Lips at her throat, Lee's teeth grazed over the sensitive skin, pushing Kara past the point of no return. They shattered together, riding the wave of pleasure…letting it flow over and around them…just as the falls crashed over the ridge to pool and ripple out into the lake.

Satiated and spent, Lee tried to remember the last time he felt so replete and relaxed. Leaning against the rocks, Kara tucked comfortably in his arms, he was happy, content and in no hurry to move. In fact, he couldn't think of another place he'd rather be at the moment. It had been too long since he'd felt that way.

Shifting slightly, Lee's hand drifted up to cup the back of Kara's head. His fingers massaged gently and when she tilted her chin up to smile at him, he couldn't resist a gentle kiss to cap off the moment. Settling back, he closed his eyes and let slumber claim him.

Lee awoke slowly…disoriented at first…wondering why he heard the hum of a battlestar instead of the distant sound of the falls outside. He would have sworn he was at the cabin. Coupled with the warm weight of a very naked Kara wrapped around him and the vivid pictures running through his mind, Lee was disappointed he wasn't there…in his favorite spot. Wait…naked Kara. Could the erotic images be real? Or had it been nothing more than a very stimulating dream?

Still groggy, he assumed the latter but couldn't quite line things up in his head. He'd been too damn tired lately to do much of anything except let the days blur together. Sorta made it difficult to keep everything straight.

Blinking his eyes open, he waited until they focused before trying to figure out the time of day.

"It's 0600." Kara smoothed her hand sensually over Lee's chest before making a fist and propping up her chin.

Lee's body twitched in response and he grinned up at the metal bulkhead before shifting his gaze to meet hers.

Tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, he started a greeting. "He-ee-" Voice still raspy with sleep, he cleared his throat and tried again. "Hi." Her eyes were smiling at him and her lips curved to complete the picture.

And it was so close to something that flashed in his memory, he had to know…even if she'd probably want to kill him. "Uh…don't take this the wrong way…" Lords…he couldn't believe he was asking this… "but did we…uh…by any chance…" His voice trailed off…the more he thought about it…the more it sounded like a bad idea to admit he was clueless. "Gods…I'm sorry…never mind." Hauling her closer, he decided to drop the subject.

Kara had other ideas. She knew what he was seeking and to answer she angled her head forward to press a kiss against his chest. "Did we by any chance…" Her tongue followed, laving a wet trail along his skin until they were chin to chin. "Have mind blowing sex?" Throwing her leg over his hip, she moved until she was on top of him.

"Yes…we really did." Leaning down, her lips snagged his for a quick kiss. "And you'd only have to be sorry if it sucked." Flicking her tongue out, she licked his bottom lip. "And Lee…" This time she kissed him long and deep before coming up for air. "Trust me…it didn't." A thrill shot through her when his eyes darkened in response.

So…not just a dream. But frak…he completely missed the reality of it.

He aimed to fix that.

Grasping Kara's waist, Lee lifted her hips enough to settle her back a little. His cock finding her wet and slippery, he held her gaze as his pelvis dipped so he could slide slowly inside her. Enveloped in her warm heat, he rose up, elbows supporting his weight, to mesh his lips with hers. Easing back down, tongue dueling hers, Lee thought he'd be content to finish out the rest of his days locked in this position with Kara.

Knowing that wasn't possible…he couldn't think of a better way to spend the hour before they had to gear up for the dance.

Kara stood in the middle of the action, surveying the crowded flight deck turned makeshift 'dance' floor. Surrounding her, three rings were running simultaneously while Hot Dog and Beehive helped her get participants taped up and loosened up for upcoming rounds. To her satisfaction, the two men were getting along…there was even good-natured banter flying back and forth between them. And good lords…backslapping, too.

Considering their match ended up being a draw, Kara was mildly surprised they weren't still playing the one up game. Being able to pound each other into bloody, battered pulps probably hadn't hurt.

It was beyond her how either man could even stand much less assist her…Hot Dog's eyes were puffy, swollen and would end up turning every shade of the rainbow before he healed completely…and Beehive was sporting several stitches from smacking the side of his face against a ring post as he recoiled from Brendan's final jab.

The things people bonded over never ceased to amaze her.

The bout Tigh was officiating ended with an abrupt knockout giving Kara an opportunity to check who was up next…they were getting close to the final rounds. "You two got this covered?" Beechman gave her a thumbs-up so she started weaving her way through the spectators to reach Gaeta and Kat.

They were in charge of tracking tags and taking bets and from the looks of it having more fun than they'd had in ages. Kat's laughter rang out as she changed the odds of the match coming up while crewmembers all but tossed cubits and bills at Felix. The commander had made the right call…they all needed this event.

Snagging the clipboard, she flashed a smile at Gaeta as she scanned the list of sparring partners. Only four names remained on the top sheet so she flipped it up to read the next page but she instead of reading the names of fighters she was looking at a betting pool. Two pages were stuck together and as she was sliding her finger between the sheets to separate them the title of the pool caught her eye.

Apollo/Starbuck: Wedded Bliss or Funeral Pyre/Airlocked Casket…pick the date 

Bringing the clipboard closer to her face, she looked at it again. Yep…she'd read it correctly. No wonder Kat had been twitchy when she'd asked about the pool not so long ago.

_Well, frak. _

_FRAK! _

From the looks of it…the entire crew was frakking betting on whether she and Lee would make it official or kill each other. What was with everyone and their all-consuming desire to turn her life with Lee into a spectator sport?

Gods, it pissed her off to no end.

Her first instinct was to grab Kat by the collar and plant her face into the table. But she tamped down the urge and let common sense prevail.

The whole point of today's event wasn't completely lost on her…even if she was mad enough to take on an entire squadron of Raiders and come out on top.

Drawing in a deep breath, she held it while darting a quick glance at Kat…still otherwise occupied. Forcing her posture to relax, Kara exhaled slowly while making a few quick decisions.

First…she had to talk to Lee. If nothing else, he'd keep her from maiming someone.

Second…Kat needed to sweat a little bit.

That part was going to be easy. Kara tucked the clipboard under her arm and made her way behind the table. Stopping beside Louanne, she leaned in with a bright smile on her face. "Hey Kat…I can't read the name of the last match…" Kara watched closely for Kat's reaction as she lifted up the top page and was rewarded when the other woman sucked in a quick breath, startled fear leaping into her eyes before she quickly tugged the clipboard from Kara.

Kat smoothed the sheets down then planted her thumb at the bottom to keep them anchored. "Last round is Rickshaw and Hacker." Her voice was a little reedy as she tried to be nonchalant about the grabbing and she wouldn't look directly at Kara.

Hastily shoving the board under the box loaded with dog tags, Kat finally looked up. "Um…need anything else, Starbuck?" Her hands moved to do a rapid reorganization of the already organized table.

Kara didn't answer right away, staring at Kat with measured calculation. She let the moment draw out awkwardly then flashed a quick, but dangerous smile before shaking her head negative. Turning to walk away, Kara looked back over her shoulder, holding Kat's gaze until a group of crewmen walked between them.

Let Katraine chew on that for a while.

Hot Dog and Beehive had things handled so she made her way over to the bout Lee was officiating. Watching him referee cooled her temper a little…enough that she almost decided to scrap talking about the pool. Kara wasn't completely sure how Lee would react…as if he didn't have enough to deal with already. And right now, he was relaxed and having fun…the look on his face said it all.

Too late she realized the bout was over and Lee was heading out of the ring. Just as well, she wouldn't like it if he kept this from her if he'd found out before she did. Keeping her face passive, Kara waited until Lee made his way out of the ring before she flagged him down, signaling she needed to see him.

Lee could tell something was off with Kara…her face was blank and that didn't mesh with the excitement pouring off her in waves earlier. He stepped in close, his face a question mark of concern…but he said nothing…sensing Kara wanted to take the lead.

Realizing she couldn't have picked a worse place to spill the details, Kara nodded a quick greeting. "You got a minute?" She had to practically shout to be heard over the noise of the crowd still watching the other two rounds.

Lee put his arm around her waist and leaned in so he didn't have to yell. "Yeah. What's up?" When Kara looked around before answering, his gut clenched up in a knot.

He had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he was going to hear.

She fought her temper again but she lifted her chin, putting her lips directly beside Lee's ear and with her voice pitched low she explained her discovery. His nostrils flared and his jaw clenched, but other than that, Lee's reaction didn't show…although Kara could almost hear him counting silently to ten before he jerked his head toward a quieter area of the hangar deck. She responded by grabbing his hand so they could fight their way through the sea of bodies to get there.

A number of things ran through Lee's mind as he walked with Kara his brain burning through the idea that yet again, they were at the center of a betting pool.

His gut reaction was to put everyone on notice that how he and Kara lived their life was off limits to wagers, bets, and anything else he could think of involving prizes being exchanged over the predictions.

But in all honesty…what the hell else did they have to gamble on? There weren't any more sporting events to bet on or entertainment venues to hold an audience in their thrall. Aside from what they had going on today, the odd triad game didn't offer much in the way of diversions from the hell they lived with every day.

He didn't appreciate being a main attraction but he was beginning to understand why mundane things…like whether or not he and Kara ever got married…held lots of interest for people. If he learned anything from sifting through all those reports it was how bleak life really was…for everyone. Finding some kind of outlet to combat that was one more thing to add to the never-ending list…but it would have to wait 'til later.

Right now…well, he and Kara could let the pool distract them and make them angry…or they could find a creative way to deal with the whole thing. A wild thought popped into his head, but Lee held it back, watching as Kara began to pace around the small area. He decided to see if humor would settle her down a bit.

Leaning against the bulkhead, he crossed his arms in front of his chest and adopted a serious, considering expression. "You planning my demise?" It wasn't what she was expecting and it broke through the tense look on her face, not to mention stopping her in her tracks.

Was she planning his demise? Of all the things Kara thought he'd say…that wasn't it. Her laugh ended in a snort. "Um...No." Oh…she'd needed that moment of levity to put the stupid pool into perspective. "You thinking about mine?" Leave it to Lee to completely wipe out her building head of anger.

Lee winked at her, reaching out to grab her hips. "Not today." He looked up confirming they were alone before leaning forward to kiss her with surprising sweetness.

Smiling against his lips as Lee tugged her closer, she stepped into his embrace. "Good to know." Resting her forehead on his shoulder, she wrapped her arms around him then tilted her head back to meet his gaze. "So…what _are_ we gonna do about this?" Too many people were involved to quietly take everyone out.

Several ideas came to mind…including his previous wild thought. Just because he kinda understood the 'whys' of the crew's fascination with their life…it didn't mean they had to play along.

Meeting Kara's gaze again, he answered with what he considered their best option. "Same thing we did last time…" He dropped a kiss on her nose then said quietly against her ear. "Beat them at their own game." They had alternatives _and_ they had the advantage of knowing about the pool. He didn't doubt they'd come up with something suitably impressive.

Kara's forehead crinkled up as she tried to wrap her head around the concept of beating them at their own game. The last time involved she and Lee continuing to meet on the sly until they'd finally been caught. This pool was marriage and body bags.

How the hell did you win at that?

_A little clarity would be nice_. "Lee…I don't see how—" Her words ended abruptly as the sound of running footsteps crashed toward them.

Felix barreled around the corner and virtually slid to a halt beside them. "Major. Captain. Sorry to intrude." He paused to catch his breath. "Gotta get to CIC…a bomb just exploded on one of the civilian ships…and it's bad…bad." He had to stop to drag air in again.

Kara questioned him. "Cylons?" Couldn't be…the alert would have sounded.

Gaeta shook his head. "No enemy contact…but an unconfirmed number of civilians injured and dead." He didn't wait for them to ask more questions. "Report to Commander Adama." Taking off at a run, he hit the steps that would lead him to CIC.

Lee immediately followed, but he looked back at Kara…he didn't have to tell her their topic of discussion was temporarily on hold.

Kara nodded reluctantly and lagged a little behind…the repercussions of the explosions hitting her hard.

It had finally happened…

…What they'd all feared…

The breaking point had been reached.

And Kara had a sick feeling that things were going to get much, much worse.

FIN


End file.
